


I Want A Cloudy Sky For My Wedding

by YunaYamiMouto



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Arranged Marriage, Assassination Plot(s), Assassins & Hitmen, BAMF Hibari Kyouya, Babies drinking espresso, Because he's the only competent one, Breaking the Arcobaleno Curse, But it's the Disciplinary Committe so it's normal, Canon-Typical Violence, Crimes & Criminals, Detective Hibari Kyoya, Do not challenge Hibari Kyoya, Dying Will Flames (Katekyou Hitman Reborn!), Explosions, Explosives, F/M, Fon does not approve, Gen, Hibari Kyoya Style, Hibari discovers his Flames, Hibari in a suit is bad for Dino's health, Hibari is good with animals, It's Reborn but still, Italian Mafia, Jealousy, Kind of Dino-centric, Kind of Hibari-centric, Kyoya and Verde should not be friends, M/M, Minors going clubbing, Possessiveness, Protective Dino, Protective Fon, Protective Sawada Tsunayoshi, Provoking the beast, Reborn and Kyoya Are BFFs, Reborn approves, Revenge Plots, Snide Reborn, Strange Friendships, Teenagers showing up adults, Weddings, blurted out confessions, kyoya to the rescue, protective Reborn, so to speak
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:55:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 59,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26200741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YunaYamiMouto/pseuds/YunaYamiMouto
Summary: Don Cavallone is getting married and Tsuna and all of his Guardians are invited. Quite a few people are surprised by this, Reborn especially, as he had seen how his former student looked at a certain skylark. However, when the wedding turns out to be more than it seems, will the Cloud unleash an unforgiving torrent? Or will it drift away, never to return, out of reach forever?
Relationships: Dino & Reborn (Katekyou Hitman Reborn!), Dino & Romario (Katekyou Hitman Reborn!), Dino & Sawada Tsunayoshi, Dino/Hibari Kyouya, Dino/Original Female Character, Fon & Hibari Kyouya, Hibari Kyouya & Bermuda von Veckenschtein, Hibari Kyouya & Kusakabe Tetsuya, Hibari Kyouya & Namimori Middle Disciplinary Committee Members, Hibari Kyouya & Reborn, Hibari Kyouya & Vongola Tenth Generation, Hibari Kyoya & Hibird, Hibari Kyoya & Roll, Hibari Kyoya & Verde, Lal Mirch & Reborn, Sawada Iemitsu/Sawada Nana, Sawada Tsunayoshi & Vongola Tenth Generation Guardians
Comments: 66
Kudos: 106





	1. Chapter 1

"Hey guys! I'm so glad you could make it! I'm really happy to see you, lil bro! Welcome to Italy!" Dino Cavallone, the boss of a mafia family with over five thousand members, beamed when he caught sight of his honorary 'little brother', the future Vongola Decimo, and the teenager's Guardians. Hell, even the ever elusive and mysterious Mist Guardian, Chrome Dokuro, had accepted the invitation Tsuna passed along to his Guardians personally, though the biggest surprise was probably Hibari Kyoya's presence several feet away from the group.

Sawada Tsunayoshi, a simple middle school student who happened to have Vongola blood in his veins, beamed right back at the blond. The brunet even ran in for a hug, something he didn't usually indulge himself in, but it had been months since the Ring Battles and he was just glad to see the Cavallone boss again, since they might as well be brothers from different mothers, as only they understood each other's pain over having Reborn as a tutor.

"It's really great to see you too, Dino-san. Thanks for having us! And congratulations!"

Dino smiled at the genuine well wishes he received from most of Tsuna's friends and Guardians, but when his former tutor shot a look at him, Dino knew Reborn had probably noticed he wasn't as cheery as he was trying to portray himself as. Thankfully, the hitman didn't say anything as Dino received a hug from Nana and a stronger than need be punch in the shoulder from Ryohei, so that was at least one crisis averted.

"Bucking Horse~! Bucking Horse~!" The high-pitched chirp, though, brought his eyes to rest upon the one person he had been unsure if he would even see and despite himself, he grew excited and nervous, his whole being somehow softening when he caught sight of pale skin, jet black hair and silver-blue eyes. The yellow bird hopping excitedly on the Disciplinary Committee Chairman's shoulder kept chirping as the blond walked over, fluttering up to rest on the taller male's hair while the prefect himself remained still and emotionless.

"Kyoya, I'm really glad you could make it. Thank you for coming," Dino said to his only cute little student, who studied him with sharp eyes for a long moment before just walking past him. His men who had never gone to Japan with him but were accompanying him to the airport for security all gawked at the rudeness of the boy, but Romario and the regulars all chuckled, even more so when Dino immediately scrambled to go after the teenager. "Wait, Kyoya, don't just walk off like that! You don't even know where to go! What if you get lost?"

Dino was quite possibly the only person on earth who could survive grabbing Hibari Kyoya's shoulder like that and he was rather proud of it. Especially when Kyoya actually stopped long enough to look up at him and almost roll his eyes. "I'm sure Romario by now knows where you live, Cavallone. I'm going with him. You know I hate crowds."

"Ah, we came in a really big car for that reason, Kyoya, and it has a privacy screen, so you can sit alone if you want, but you have to go with us," the blond explained, rubbing the back of his head with his free hand in a habit he had picked up from his visits to Japan. However, as soon as his arm was back by his side, two thinner arms wrapped around his and a weight slammed into him.

"Dino~!" A pretty Italian woman with olive skin, auburn hair and blue eyes called in a sickeningly sweet tone, all but gluing herself to the don's side, beaming up at him with rosy cheeks. "Where did you run off to? What's taking so long? Are these the guests you talked about? Oh, they're all so cute!" She waved at them, speaking in broken Japanese. "Hello, everyone. Welcome to Italy and thanks for coming to our wedding! My name is Lucia Tocceli, the future Mrs Cavallone," she said with a giggle, not noticing how several people stiffened at her words.

Sasagawa Kyoko, Miura Haru and Bianchi, who had come as guests, all smiled at her while Sawada Nana congratulated Dino on finding such a pretty wife. Yamamoto Takeshi and Sasagawa Ryohei gave sunny smiles and happy - or extremely energetic - greetings while Gokudera Hayato and Chrome Dokuro grumbled/mumbled their own greetings. Lambo asked for candy and I-Pin admonished him like usual before bowing in greeting. Fuuta just smiled and said she ranked in the top fifty of the prettiest mafia women in the world, to which Lucia blushed in pleasure and (fake) modesty.

Tsuna found himself doing his best to smile genuinely, but something deep within writhed and _screamed_ at him that this woman was simply bad news.

Reborn said polite greetings but his eyes were sharp and studying, trying to figure out why his hitman intuition was declaring Lucia to be a threat. She was obviously from a mafia family, he knew about the Tocceli and he could guess why they had arranged for the marriage to Don Cavallone, but those were the usual games played within the mafia for more power and connections and stability. That should not trigger his instincts.

Hibari Kyoya, though, shot the woman one look and glared. There was but a flash of confusion, then irritation, then understanding and finally anger before it all flattened out and it was just a glare that could really mean anything. Knowing the prefect, he might be even comparing how she would have clashed with Nami-chuu's dress code or other rules. It was Hibari, after all.

"Ah, everyone, let me introduce you to my lovely wife-to-be," Dino said, maybe a bit tensely, gesturing around with the hand of his trapped arm, the other one never leaving the Cloud Guardian's person. "Everyone, this is Lucia. Lucia, these are Tsuna, my honorary little brother, and his Guardians and friends." He introduced each person by name before finally gesturing at Kyoya. "And this is my student who I've told you about, Hibari Kyoya, the Cloud Guardian."

Lucia smiled sunnily at the sullen teenager. "It's a pleasure to meet you! Dino talks about you a lot, it seems he's very fond of you. I hope we can get along." She extended a hand, expecting a shake, but the prefect shot her a disdainful look before walking over to Romario, who seemed rather strangely pleased by the rude behavior. "Why that little brat! The _nerve_ -!" Lucia fumed, unable to believe someone would brush off her kindness like that, but Dino just laughed it off, patted her on the shoulder before racing off after Hibari.

"Doesn't that seem a bit strange?" Kyoko could be heard commenting to Haru, sounding perplexed.

"Yeah, he should have stayed with his lover!" The other teen girl agreed, pouting at Dino's retreating back for not fulfilling her fantasy version of how all ideal couples work.

"Well, that tonfa freak _is_ far more dangerous if left alone, so it's probably for the best to keep an eye on him," Gokudera grumbled, not at all happy to be back to Italy for some reason. No one dared ask because they didn't want the bomber to reveal he'd managed to smuggle in tons of dynamite onto the plane, though no one was actually sure how he'd done it.

"Don't worry about it, Lucia," Yamamoto said easily to the woman. "Hibari is always like that and he was rather irritable that he had to be in a crowded airplane. Though he was really helpful when it came to getting out first, since people kind of just dived out of his way." It had been a sight to see, since most people tended to try and rush out as soon as possible out of the plane, everyone getting ready to go as soon as the plane lands and even before it comes to its proper gate. But as soon as Hibari had stood up when the plane stopped and was being prepared to let out the passengers, every single person on the plane had scrambled to get out of his way, sitting on each other's laps just so the annoyed teenager could pass. Tsuna and his family had followed in the Cloud's wake so they wouldn't get separated, because Hibari was sure to bite them to death if he had to wait for them, too. The flight attendant had looked ready to cry in relief when the prefect stepped off of her plane at last.

"Hibari is as extreme as ever," Ryohei nodded in agreement. Those of Dino's men close enough to hear the conversation laughed merrily as they took everyone's luggage. Up ahead, Dino was trying to convince Hibari to let him take his single duffel bag that he'd packed, which only served to annoy Lucia more for some reason.

"It's good to see time and distance don't change those two's interactions," Reborn commented, seemingly to no one but his eyes were trained on the future Donna Cavallone, studying her reaction. He almost smirked when he noticed her twitch and seethe some more. _'Well now, I don't know what game you're playing, Dino, but this is bound to be interesting.'_

The ride to the Cavallone mansion was a bit tense, since while the car _was_ big and spacious - a _limo_ , to be precise - Hibari had not, in fact, decided to sit in the middle area, blocked off from both the bodyguards up front and Dino and the teenagers in the back. Instead, he sat on Dino's left, their shoulders almost brushing, completely content to just gaze through the window and ignore everyone else as Hibird sang on his head. Dino's right side was occupied by the future Vongola boss, which meant Gokudera was on _his_ left and Yamamoto had all but sprawled himself against the Italian bomber's side, much to his annoyance. _That_ , however, meant that the fiancee had to sit with the other females and the kids, right across from her husband-to-be. Trying to scold the teenager for taking her place by her future husband had actually left her as traumatized as any poor, unfortunate outsider to Namimori when they first meet Hibari Kyoya, because the prefect had whipped out his tonfa and threatened to bite her to death if she disturbed him again.

Lucia was still fuming inwardly at the fact that no one had tried to take her side against the teenager, even Romario and Dino himself wary of that Hibari brat's temper. The World's Greatest Hitman, though he obviously wasn't intimidated, didn't come to her aid, either, instead seeming rather amused by it all. Lucia just knew that she was going to have problems with those two, especially as she couldn't just brush them off. Dino greatly valued and respected Rebron's opinion, the Arcobaleno having been his tutor and all and Dino had indeed talked about Hibari Kyoya enough that Lucia knew the brat was important to him. Important enough that Dino had sent a separate invitation directly to Hibari instead of just the one passed along by the future Vongola boss. Important enough that Dino would travel to Japan as much as he could just to train his 'cute little student'.

She'd have to win those two over, especially as they were clearly the sharpest ones in the group. It wouldn't be good for them to go snooping around and ruin her wedding.

Upon arriving at the Cavallone mansion, the teenagers were all rather impressed. Well, actually Gokudera, Chrome and Hibari weren't, the former two having lived lavish lives while the third was simply not impressed by such things as a huge manor and luxuries that were more excess than needed. When Dino asked the prefect for his opinion and he said as much, everyone sweat dropped, but they were all honest with themselves that they hadn't expected anything different. Still, Hibari allowed himself to be showed around just like everyone else but disappeared during the middle of the tour after they finished in the second floor library.

Lucia wanted to go back and get him, but Dino just waved it off, saying it was a miracle Kyoya had stuck around for that long and that it was probably for the best to give him some space for now. When the tour was finished and everyone was settled into their rooms for the duration of the stay, Dino walked back to his home office, sat down in his comfy leather chair and sighed, running a hand through his hair agitatedly. Things were going good so far. Lucia didn't suspect a thing and her men had only just caught glimpses of the Vongola Tenth Generation, which was good. It won't last, as they were bound to be seen and analyzed at dinner later, but this was off to a good start. In fact, everything was going according to plan so far, even if he had been rather worried about how things with Kyoya will turn out.

 _'Kyoya ... '_ The blond sighted, tempted to just tug out all of his hair and be done with it. He'd known from the start that things would get complicated even before the true complications arouse, mostly because he was so damn fond of his student, because he cared for Kyoya's opinion so much. The Cavallone had known, the second Hibari got here, the first problem he'd have to face would be his own damned heart and the helpless longing he felt.

Hopeless, too, given he knew Kyoya probably only saw him as a stepping stone to becoming even stronger or just someone intriguing to entertain him and give him a good fight. Maybe, if he kept up his current persistence, he might one day even earn himself the title of Kyoya's first tentative 'friend', though he suspected Reborn might actually already hold a title like that, due to the mutual respect they shared and that strange sort of understanding that would mark them both, in Kyoya's mind, as fellow carnivores, predators, who ought to keep each other alive to prevent the other from growing bored with the world.

Dino, on the other hand, was just a lovesick herbivore.

He sighed again and wondered if he should just tell Kyoya. He played a rather crucial part in all of this, but Dino would actually prefer his honest, unbiased opinion. Not that anything could actually make Hibari Kyoya's opinion be biased. Kyoya was far too straightforward for that, for all that he was one of the most mysterious people Dino had ever met. Second only to Reborn and the other Arcobaleno, perhaps, but a person who's personal information could not even be fished out by _Mammon_ ... Yeah, Kyoya was an enigma alright.

But most of all, Kyoya had almost animalistically sharp instincts and an even sharper mind, capable of analyzing and categorizing a person into a personality group or level of skill within seconds. A single demonstration was all the prefect needed to see through a person or an attack. That would be incredibly useful, if it could be utilized in this situation.

"Man, this is all getting so troublesome already! And the real issues haven't even started!" He complained to the empty room, rubbing the heels of his hands over his eyes. He should be getting ready for dinner, preparing some sort of speech to give with the activities list he had planned for the next couple of days before the actual wedding ceremony. This was so unbecoming of a Don, especially one of his reputation.

But, then again, a certain Cloud more often than not made him act or react unbefitting of a Don of his reputation.

"I knew it," a familiar voice said from his window and Dino froze instinctively, not at all surprised that he hadn't noticed the other's appearance. "So there _is_ something wrong. I wish you would have just been open with me instead of leaving me in the dark like that, you wimp. I'd rather not run into Bakamitsu being Bakamitsu or have to introduce Tsuna to Lal Mirch the hard way. Now," Reborn said as he jumped from the window sill and onto his desk, sitting on a pile of paperwork, crossing his legs and pointing Leon in gun form at the blond. "Tell me why this wedding is suddenly happening and why the bride seems so suspicious."

"Reborn-" He tried, not really sure if he wanted his former tutor to get more deeply involved. Sure, Tsuna's Hyper Intuition would be useful in the situation but he didn't want his little brother involved, and Reborn _was_ the Greatest Hitman in the world because he was a great judge of character and danger, but he'd seriously prefer to keep them out of Cavallone business.

The gun clicked. "Don't try to bullshit me, Dino. I had a hand in making you into the man you are. Tell me what's going on and why do you need Tsuna's Cloud Guardian for it." At Dino's stunned silence, Reborn chuckled. "You think I wouldn't notice? You underestimate me, my no good wimpy student number one. Number two hasn't yet noticed that beyond his scary fighting strength, Hibari has some other rather frightening skills, but you would. So tell me how he's involved and how I may help? I wouldn't be a very good tutor if one of my students got killed while the other lost his strongest Guardian."

Dino stared intently at Reborn, thought his options through and told him everything.


	2. Chapter 2

_"How sure can we be that they have turned traitor? I don't want to lose a powerful ally if it's only empty, baseless suspicions, Roma. We can't afford that now," Dino sighed as he once again looked over both the proposal the Tocceli family had sent and the reports his own men had gathered regarding said family's most recent activities that had been rather suspicious._

_The bespectacled man sighed as well, sounding as tired as his boss looked. "Unfortunately, Tocceli have always been good with keeping their motives hidden and they seem to be utilizing that talent to the fullest. However, we_ do _have confirmation that they have bought experimental weaponry from the Lightning Arcobaleno Verde and while he personally doesn't care what is done with his inventions as long as he gets them field tested, the Tocceli have been rather cold in our alliance since the death of the Don's son, who was supposed to be hi heir. That he is trying to marry off Lucia for the sake of the alliance is rather suspicious, but the seal is his, as is the Flame frequency on the envelope. The timing is what's throwing me off the most, boss."_

_"Yeah, since the whole Vongola alliance is a bit shaken up after the Ring Battles and the attempted coup by the independent assassination squad, Varia. Vongola Nono might be in better health than we could have hoped and Tsuna doesn't need to take over for many years to come, but the alliance is at its most vulnerable right now." It had been that way between Cavallone and Vongola and all the smaller families on the side as well when Dino's own father had fallen into a sickbed and could no longer get up without getting overly tired. Vongola Nono still had a lot of liveliness left in him and the Varia might have been subdued, but things were not looking good these days._

_Mostly due to the suspicious behavior of Cervello during the Battle for the Vongola Rings. They had had a clear favorite from the start and had been willing to let Tsuna's Guardians get killed even if it was clear that the match was over, like with the Lightning Battle. Something was clearly going on behind the scenes, which can't say anything good about the current state of Vongola and its allies, let alone their future._

_Now was the time that those with traitorous thoughts or high ambitions made a move._

_The wedding of such a prominent figure in the mafia world and one of Vongola's greatest allies like Don Cavallone was would draw many people to the ceremony, giving quite a bit of room for assassination plots despite the tight security. It's not as if they can take away people's weaponry upon entering the gathering. That was just_ asking _for people to get murdered or to be accused of treachery themselves._

_It also didn't help that the proposal had come from the Tocceli family. At the beginning of Dino's 'reign', so to speak, they had tried to propose the Cavallone get out of their debts by dabbling in cocaine and other drugs, something which had disgusted Dino to his core. The Cavallone had started off as a famiglia who broke up the first drug traffickers in the area. There was no way Cavallone Decimo would go back on such a big, long tradition, especially when he himself was disgusted by how the drugs took so many lives, especially young ones. The Cavallone might have as bloody a history as any other mafia famiglia, but they had their own limits and standards. They had half started off like a vigilante group, just like Vongola Primo and his Guardians, but they had never shied away from their true nature. Mafia are mafia. Each Don can just choose whether they'll do certain despicable acts or not._

_They never forgave him for how he had 'humiliated' them back then for completely turning them down without even a second of consideration and then things became even worse when Don Tocceli's son was caught trying to import and distribute drugs from Brazil and Cuba on_ Cavallone _territory and got shot to death by the team that had been sent out to deal with it. Dino hadn't even known Tocceli's son was involved until his body was identified after everyone involved was already dead._

_Tocceli had blamed him for the young man's death and had demanded compensation._

_He ended up being the one paying the compensation to Cavallone because of the men that had died in the operation since what his son was doing went directly against their alliance. The Tocceli suffered greatly from that. As did the dynamics of the alliance._

_Dino and Romario, his right hand man, have been suspicious of them for a couple of years now, so for them finally to make any sort of move, even if it was one that was apparently to fix old bonds and strengthen their alliance, was indeed very worrying._

_"Perhaps a private meeting to discuss this will bear some fruit, boss," Romario suggested, the words tasting foul in his mouth._

_Dino grimaced. It was inevitable, but it could lead to a disaster. Still, he had no choice but to agree with the suggestion. It's always easier to judge one's sincerity in person than from a piece of paper._

_Unfortunately, they could find no traces of hostility during the meeting. Don Tocceli looked as frail and as sickly as Dino's own father had been when Reborn was called in, so Dino at least finally understood one of the reasons behind why the move was being made now and not sooner or later. Lucia seemed rather taken by him, too, blushing and smiling and trying to be as appealing to him as was possible and perhaps just a few months earlier, she would have been._

_Unfortunately, his foolish, foolish heart seems to have given itself to a sullen Japanese boy who ruled Namimori with a stainless steel tonfa with the prettiest eyes Dino had ever seen and a strength that actually made him a bit wary. He'd been unable to stop thinking about his first ever student for months now, ever since he left Japan after the Battle for the Vongola Rings, which had eventually lead to a few more visits to Japan just for the pleasure of seeing Nami-chuu's Disciplinary Committee's Chairman. Romario was exasperated by it and his men all teased him greatly, but his right hand man at least seemed to approve of how the teen managed to not only get Dino to smile so brightly, but also to finish up all of his work in advance just so he could have said trips._

_In the end, after seriously talking it over with Romario, taking into consideration everything they knew so far - which was depressingly little - and Dino's own hopeless feelings, they decided to agree to the proposal and host a fake wedding. If the Tocceli show their true fangs, it would be easy to deal with them, especially since Dino had sent first a request to Vongola Nono for aid in the matter. Since he'd made it clear Vongola's heir would be there, CEDEF - or rather one Sawada Iemitsu - had volunteered to oversee it, probably just so he could see his family, but he had an Arcobaleno on his team so Dino wasn't complaining. With two Arcobaleno present, even if Reborn were not to be informed of what was going on, they were more likely to be able to deal with everything and anything._

_But in the weeks of preparing everything, the Tocceli have not made a single bad move and Lucia acted like the perfect should-be-bride, though her forwardness sometimes left Dino uneasy. Probably due to his own predicament, but sometimes there was this look in her eyes that seriously worried him._

_So Dino made a move that shocked even Romario._

_He invited Kyoya._

"I see," Reborn said after Dino had finished the tale. "So you're hoping to have it confirmed whether they are up to something by using Hibari as a sort of blood hound to sniff out the malicious intent, possible motives and danger level. Clever for you, Dino."

"I'm not trying to _use_ Kyoya," the blond argued, running a hand through his hair again. "More like ... _utilize_ his skills. I just want his honest opinion. Kyoya has the seriously scary ability to judge people in seconds and being able to sense even the barest traces of malicious intent could save a lot of lives here. I'm not going to make him fight or anything-"

"I'm pretty sure he'd actually prefer that," the hitman interrupted, finally taking away his gun and leaning back on his hands where he was still sitting on the paperwork. Dino seriously hoped he doesn't knock it over. Thankfully, Reborn was as elegant as ever. "And you're still using him. You're not asking for a favor like I do it," he cut in before Dino could point out that Reborn did the same most of the time with pretty much everyone. "I respect Hibari too much to try and manipulate him into a situation like that. I know he'd figure it out sooner rather than later and just walk away. So I always tell him my expectations and let him do things however he likes. So far, things have worked well for us that way. What you're doing is blindly pointing him in a direction and hoping he'll find something but stop before he gets too involved. That's already impossible, Dino, you should know that. The second he figures out that they are enemies, even if he weren't Hibari but someone reluctant to fight, he'd be involved and they'd try to hunt him down before he can pass on such information. I can guess why you haven't informed him of anything, beyond your own personal reasons. You want him to make his own opinions on the situation from scratch."

"Yeah, and he already doesn't seem to like it very much," Dino said, leaning back in his chair in a way that looked more like a slump than anything else. "Though that could be anything from the crowding to Lucia's presumption that she can tell him what to do just because she's my fiancee and he's my pupil. As if Kyoya even views me as a tutor," the blond sighed again, more morosely this time than anything. Why can' his cute little student just like him, or dislike him just a tiny bit more than he does the rest of humanity? Well, no, that's not accurate. Kyoya doesn't _dislike_ humanity, he just finds it annoying. Too many herbivores, as he'd say, no doubt.

"Hibari's not as delicate as that," the baby pointed out with a smirk. He seemed greatly amused by how both of his students reacted to the aloof Cloud whenever he was mentioned or around. "I saw how irritated he was. That's never happened before, not even against the Varia and Xanxus had been so presumptuous as to taunt him about whether he was enough against Gola Mosca."

"And that's not even mentioning that Belphegor thought he wasn't strong enough to deal with him in the Sky Battle." They both nodded, thinking on the stupidity of the Varia and various other people who thought Hibari Kyoya was easy to bring down. "But that aside, I honestly want his genuine opinion. I want to see how he judges them, how he categorizes them. I rather doubt they'd be anything more than 'herbivores', Lucia and her lot, but I'd still prefer it if we just let him base his opinion on his own experiences instead of being all suspicious because he knows they _might_ be up to no good. I actually doubt he'd wait for it to be confirmed before he challenges them to a fight and then try to beat a confession out of them."

"Yeah, that does sound like Hibari."

Dino sighed, feeling tired already and the games have only just begun. "There's been no assassination attempts as of yet, thankfully, but I wouldn't put it past them to do something even before we're officially married. I have a will, after all, and nothing will go to anything or anyone outside of the family, certainly not to a bride I've not even chosen for myself. Well, actually, I guess there _is_ one thing that is going to someone outside of the family."

"You actually included him in your will? That's rather bold of the wimp I used to know," Reborn said with surprise, sounding rather impressed.

"Well, spending time with Kyoya keeps one on his toes, so you really shouldn't be all that surprised," the blond replies with a shrug. "Besides, it's not really a _thing_. It has no real value, I guess, it's more of an honor and an assurance for myself that my family won't suffer after my death."

"Okay, now I'm seriously really curious as to what you would leave to Hibari. Your whip? I'm not sure someone like him would want a weapon like that. Not that I doubt he'd learn to master it, but rather that he might see it as useless for his fighting style," the hitman mused, staring at his former student intently. "Tell me what you've left for Hibari already, before I grow impatient and kick it out of you."

"Man, Reborn! There's no need for violence, sheesh!" The Cavallone complained but replied as promised anyway. "I left for him the execution of vengeance. I am his prey, after all, as he's said many a times since we first met and started sparring. If someone else manages to do me in, then it's his privilege to steal their life like they've stolen mine. A last gift from a doting teacher to his cute student. Fitting, right?"

The Arcobaleno stayed quiet, staring at Dino with his black eyes, studying him like he was finally seeing the man his wimpy student had turned into. "You really are a hopeless wimp, but I can't help being impressed. Are you sure you can even pretend to say the vows during the rehearsal, Dino? Can you sound even remotely genuine? Because you'll need to if you want whatever your plan might be to reach fruition."

The boss of five thousand men smiled at his former tutor. It was not one of his pleasant smiles that made people weak in the knees due to how handsome he looked. It was a smile that froze the blood of his enemies in their veins before the whip descended on them with deadly grace and lethal skill. "Why do you think the most isolated, crowd-free part of the church will be right over the bride's shoulder?"

"You really are a hopeless wimp, an idiot," Reborn sighed in the wake of such an answer, but the small curl of his lips was fond, _proud_. "But I wish you all the best and if you need any help with your plan, you know I will lend my assistance, right? After all, what are teachers for? Don't think that just because I have Tsuna now that I've forgotten you, Dino. You just don't need me anymore. You're proving that right now, though I still do think it's not only idiotic but reckless and suicidal to try and deceive Hibari, to try and use him."

"I've told you already, I'm not," the other defended himself, a warmer smile curling at his lips. "If Kyoya asked the world of me, I would give it to him in a heartbeat. I'm not going to use him and brush him off. I'm not just putting him in the line of fire and waiting to see if he'll crash and burn or make his way to the top. I asked Lal Mirch to keep an eye on him from a distance. I'll owe her a huge favor, but it's worth it if Kyoya has some additional protection other than his own or the Cavallone's security detail. He's not a tool, Reborn, nor is he a means to an end. And yes, I know he'd much prefer it if I actually let him fight any possible enemies rather than just leave him to sniff them out. I'm actually hoping I can give him that, too, I hope we can stand side by side and fight together. I'm not looking forward to a war, but if it comes to it, I'd rather keep him by my side where I can be sure he is safe and alive."

"Well, as I've said, I hope everything works out for you, Dino, but I think we should probably go down for dinner before chaos breaks loose. They may seem tame in Namimori, but I rather doubt certain members of Tsuna's family will be able to restrain themselves here. Gokudera and Lambo may be in their home country, but neither of them exactly have fond memories of this place, you know. Something's bound to explode sooner or later."

As if summoned by his words, there were a series of explosions on two completely different sides of the mansion, shaking the large residence from the foundations up. Immediately, Dino's desk phone and mobile phone started ringing, no doubt with reports and questions for his orders or maybe even complaints from Lucia as well, almost drowning out the sound of the second bout of booms coming from the east wing and the single explosion that sounded off from somewhere near the roof of the west wing.

Dino flopped face-first onto his desk and groaned.


	3. Chapter 3

Dinner was a tense affair after Dino explained the activities that will be taking place in the next couple of days before the wedding ceremony itself. Almost everyone was bloody, bruised or covered in soothe - or all of the above - except for, of course, Reborn and, just as expected, one Hibari Kyoya.

The cause behind the blood and bruises was none other than the silent prefect who had been ignoring everyone and everything except his bird and the food since they all gathered in the dining room, sat on Dino's left with Reborn on his other side so as to keep him relatively not-annoyed in the crowded dining room. Hibari had been taking a nap in his room when an explosion right outside of his room, caused by one Gokudera Hayato who got into a brawl with one of Lucia's bodyguards, had woken him up and as everyone by then knew, that might as well be a death sentence. When more explosions had followed all around the house and people started running around to try and figure out what was going on, if they were under attack and if they should usher everyone out, Hibari had taken out his signature tonfa and went through them all until both sources of the explosions - Gokudera and Lambo - were bitten to death and then the poor host, who had nothing to do with the disturbance of his precious student's sleep, got his share, too.

Still, Dino was probably the best off out of everyone that had been in Hibari's way or unlucky enough to be right next to the explosions. The blond liked to think of it as the certain type of maybe-fondness - or simply a higher level of tolerance towards his presence and overall existence - Kyoya seems to have for him, but he knew not to push his luck and had arranged for the teen's favorite foods to be served at dinner. No one was suicidal enough to question why the black haired teen got special treatment when everyone else had the same dishes in front of them - no less delicious, of course - but Lucia _had_ glared at the immaculate teen from behind still sooth covered hair despite the three washes she'd given it.

Yes, she'd been one of the unfortunate ones to be near one of the two bomb-addicts, only she lacked even more luck due to her being right next to Lambo when he'd gone wild with his grenades. She'd just been lucky to have fainted at having her favorite dress ruined just before Kyoya reached the cow-child, or else she'd have bruises and cuts to cover with make-up on her wedding day. Maybe a black eye and a split lip, too.

Kyoya didn't discriminate, after all. Male or female, young or old, if the person can fight, they are prey. If they can run, they are prey, too, though he was considerably lighter on children than he would be people of his own age group or up.

Dino absently wondered if his house will survive Kyoya's first visit and he lamented never having had the guts to invite the teen to come by himself before this whole mess kind of forced his hand to do it.

"Everyone, please excuse me," Nana said first as she finished her meal, standing up. "It has been quite an eventful day and a very long flight. Since we're going out early tomorrow morning, I'd like to retire early."

"Of course, mama," Dino easily replied with a smile, still a bit nostalgic to have someone to call that again. He rather liked Tsuna's mother. She had a warmth to her that shone even brighter and warmer than Dino's mother had and he had adored his mother. "Goodnight." Iemtisu scrambled to go after his wife with a lovesick look on his face, barely waving in his subordinates' or Tsuna's direction. Dino sweat dropped and hoped he wasn't uncool like that where a certain Cloud was concerned.

The others called out their own goodnights, too, but soon after Nana was gone, Bianchi and then the kiddies went to bed, too, Lambo protesting the whole way despite having fallen asleep into his plate three times already. Haru offered to tuck them into bed and Kyoko went with her, since they shared the room for the duration of their stay. Chrome fidgeted in her seat some before she finally mustered up enough courage to excuse herself as well before all but fleeing the room. Dino took notice of how Kyoya's eyes followed her with an intrigued frown and he wondered what the prefect was thinking, but was soon distracted by Tsuna calling for his attention.

"Um, there's really no need for you to go out to shop for suits for us, Dino-san. We're already imposing on your hospitality enough as it is. There's no need to go out of your way like this."

"Nonsense!" The blond reassured with a smile at the boy he called 'little brother'. "It'll be a pleasure! Besides, this is going to be a really upscale, high class wedding, Tsuna. You guys need to look sharp, especially as this will be your first appearance as the future Vongola Decimo. First impressions are very lasting, let me tell you."

"Indeed," Kyoya surprisingly commented, making everyone turn to him. He had just taken a bite of his hamburger steak, eyes closed serenely as though he hadn't said a word, but Dino would recognize his voice in a sea of hundreds and waited with bathed breath to see if he would say anything else. After swallowing, Kyoya rewarded him for his patience with a smirk. "When we first met, I thought you were a foolish but interesting herbivore. To this day, you remain a foolish, interesting herbivore."

Despite what might be perceived as an insult to his person, Dino beamed, not noticing that on his right that his fiancee was seething at the Disciplinary Committee's Chairman. "See, Tsuna, even Kyoya thinks so! Besides, it's going to be so much fun and the tailor is really good! Besides, I think the ladies of your family will enjoy it."

"That's true, Tsuna," Lucia said with a cheery tone to her voice that made Dino flinch because something in him screamed it was forced. "A girl will always like to have men doting on her, fulfilling her every wish, especially if they buy her expensive, fancy clothing."

"How shallow and herbivorous," Hibari said under his breath and Dino and Reborn had to do their best not to choke on their own laughter. Lucia seems to have picked up on the other's words, or at least that they were mocking, and her eye twitched, her smile becoming even more strained as she turned her focus back on the future Vongola boss.

"I'm sure Kyoko, Haru, Bianchi and even I-Pin and your mother will be happy to find fabulous dresses. Maybe I can take them to get some many-pedies done, too. Oh! A day at the spa would be great!"

"Well, I guess that _does_ sound kind of nice," Tsuna said, rubbing the back of his head uncomfortably. "I guess if it makes them happy, we can go tomorrow, though I'm not sure a spa date is good for the lot of us," he smiled awkwardly, not pointing at his Guardians but obviously meaning them. "We're not in Namimori, after all."

"What makes you think your behavior would be acceptable in Namirmori, Sawda Tsunayoshi?" Grey eyes slit towards the Sky and Tsuna immediately flinched back, flailing with his signature 'Hiiieee!' before scrambling to his feet, bowing to Dino and quickly excusing himself. Gokudera immediately rushed after his Juudaime and Yamamoto followed because the race looked fun. Ryohei was the last out of the dining room, yelling at the top of his lungs about something 'EXTREME' that the ones left at the table didn't care to listen to.

"Must you scare them every chance you get, Kyoya?" Dino asked with fond exasperation, incredibly charmed by the little smirk playing at the Cloud's lips.

"It's quieter and less crowded, isn't it," the Japanese teenager shot back and Dino chuckled in amusement at the other's antics. Reborn seemed to be hiding a smirk into his espresso.

"Why am I even surprised?" The blond shook his head at his own foolishness. "So, I take it that the stake was good?"

"Acceptable," Hibari said with another bite, surprisingly more talkative than Dino was used to but he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth if the teenager was finally willing to interact with him a bit more. "Though must I participate in the little herbivorous activities you have planned for the rest of the week? I'd much prefer it if we'd spar."

"Well, I guess we could spare some time tomorrow afternoon, or the day after that," the blond said thoughtfully, glancing over to his wife-to-be when a fork screeched against a plate as she stabbed at her meal. "But you do realize it would be bad if I had bruises for my wedding day, right?"

"But I do so love hitting you in the face."

Dino glared over his shoulder at a snickering Romario and then turned said glare at Reborn, who looked like he might be silently choking on his own laughter. Then he tried to glare at his pupil but found that he really couldn't. Maybe he really was a lovesick fool. Here Kyoya was, mocking him and teasing him, but he could still feel his own face immediately softening when he set his eyes on the teen. "If you avoid my face, we can train tomorrow. How's that? You can think of it as a reward for putting up with a crowd for two days in a row."

"I'm not a dog that needs to be rewarded for good behavior," snapped the Japanese, glaring death at his host and 'tutor'.

"Then think of it as a trade-off. Tic for tac. You indulge me and go with us, let me buy you a suit and don't bite anyone to death for accidentally standing too close and in exchange we'll have a training session tomorrow and the day after that. Sound fair?"

"You're going to fight me regardless of those conditions," Hibari declared and Dino sweat dropped, because he knew the other was right.

"You're too doting, Dino," Reborn said sometime later, when the prefect had finished his food and excused himself, though that had actually surprised Dino since every time he'd shared a meal before with Kyoya, he had simply walked away. He wondered why that had changed all of a sudden, but he figured he can ponder on it when he isn't being criticized slash teased by his former mentor. "If you continue to indulge him in everything, he might grow spoiled."

"I think you're forgetting the fact that he already is rather spoiled, Reborn," the blond countered, nibbling on a piece of garlic bread even though he's had more than enough for dinner.

"Then you shouldn't encourage it," Lucia said snappishly, drawing both mafioso's attention to herself for the first time in almost an hour. Reborn didn't usually associate with those of lower status and, despite being a good ally to the Cavallone so far until these suspicions were born, the Tocceli ranked very low on the mafia food chain, especially for someone of Reborn's caliber. "Spoiled children cause the most problems. If you let it fester, then one day he will endanger his famiglia and his boss will die and, as his tutor, it will be your fault. Besides, you shouldn't baby someone who's just entering the mafia world." She humphed, taking a long, generous sip of her vine. "He should see that this isn't a game, that our world is dangerous. Kids like him should toughen up quickly unless they want to die the second they leave their mentor's eyesight."

"If Hibari were to die that easily because of a little danger, then he wouldn't have been in control of Namimori for the past several years," Reborn said casually, finishing off his espresso with a final sip and a sigh of enjoyment. Dino still found it weird that a baby would be drinking coffee. "Nor would he have developed the reputation of the demon prefect or before that the demon child of Namimori. Sure, Namimori's a small town but Hibari's just a civilian kid, so it's still impressive that he has a whole town under his thumb at such a young age. Besides, he's Vongola Decimo's strongest Guardian. If _he_ were to fall that easily, Tsuna and the others would stand no chance whatsoever."

"I think you're biased, Mr Reborn. He doesn't seem all that special to me," huffed the woman but Rebron was already ignoring her as he hopped down from his chair and headed out of the dining room.

"I'll see you in the morning, Dino. Try not to be late."

And while Lucia half seethed, half gawked after the retreating Arcobaleno, Romario rushed over to his boss with some fake urgent matter to get him out of having to spend any alone time with a possible threat to his continued status as a living human being. The Cavallone boss just sighed as he flopped down onto his bed and wondered if he can really survive this whole fake wedding shtick. In the morning, he was taking his guests to get suit and dress measurements, picking out appropriate ties and shoes, maybe some jewelry for the girls. He'd actually gotten strict instructions from Nono to make sure Sawada Iemitsu shows up in an actual suit instead of a construction worker getup. Then, the day after that was the rehearsal, something he really wasn't looking forward to. Those were already two occasions two too many for Kyoya to have to contend with crowding and not react how he usually would.

And that's not mentioning the paperwork he still has to do in between dealing with the fake preparations for the fake wedding. People were, of course, congratulating him and the responses to the invitations were getting mixed up with the actual work. It's slowing the process down even more than actually having to spend time with Lucia does and now he has to mix in spars with Kyoya. Not that he actually minds that last part, but he'll pay with his sleeping hours for taking the time to train with his pupil. He might need to actually put on some make-up so no one realizes how much stress all of this was putting him under.

He's a mafia boss. He can't appear weak, especially not when he has someone potentially after his head.

00000

He feels surprisingly refreshed in the morning, for some strange reason, considering his situation. Sure, he's not woken up by Romario's usual greeting of mail, newspaper and coffee, as has been the norm for years now, but rather another explosion. This time, when he goes down for breakfast later, he learns it was from I-Pin. The story should be hilarious because apparently the little Chinese girl has a crush on Hibari Kyoya and becomes extra shy and extra explosive - literally - when he's around, but Dino had just wanted this day to at least go without a hitch.

Breakfast is a disaster in that Lambo is Lambo and tries to steal everyone's food because that's easier than asking for seconds, but then he comes to the head of the table and makes the mistake of his life by accidentally spilling Reborn's espresso while trying to swipe away Kyoya's plate.

A tonfa cracks the table in two and a gun clicks ominously as the room is suddenly filled with two very heavy killing auras, Kyoya's and Reborn's eyes flashing death warnings.

Tsuna, a coward but a genius, abandons ship while trying to pull the girls away from the incoming carnage. Gokudera tries to stand up to Hibari because he's 'ruining Juudaime's breakfast' and Yamamoto tries to stop him from doing something suicidal but they both get sent through the wall on the other side of the room. Ryohei yells something about 'EXTREME!' but doubles over when Bianchi accidentally hits him with poison cooking while aiming at Lambo, who had at some point jumped into the Ten Year Bazooka to save himself from the two devils closing in for the kill. Chrome just stays out of the way and watches, her one visible eye turning a suspicious blue color and creepy Kufufufus escape her lips as she watches the murder pair deal out punishment.

In short, it's utter chaos and Dino's surprised that his mansion is still standing, let alone that they're all alive somehow. A new espresso for Reborn and a promise for a spar everyday of the stay for Kyoya finally calm them down that they put away spike-laced tonfa and Leon gun, going back to their meal as if the dining room isn't in shambles.

At least the car ride over to the tailor remained blissfully peaceful, although that might be because everyone's terrified of pissing Reborn and Hibari off. Even Lucia had decided she'd rather go in her own car with her own bodyguards than stay with those two while they were still twitchy.

Just as well. Dino could really use some peace and quiet while it lasts so he enjoys it with Kyoya sitting on his right and Tsuna on his left, Reborn having retreated to the prefect's shoulder for once because they were sympathizing with each other's annoyance (insert shudder here) and doing their best not to beat everyone to a pulp.

Unfortunately, the peace lasted only until they entered the tailor's shop.

This was going to be a long few days.


	4. Chapter 4

"That one looks marvelous on you, Tsu-kun!" Nana gushed as Tsuna tried on a classic black suit with a white shirt and an orange tie, not really looking all that spectacular in it, but you know how doting parents can be.

"Wha! Tsuna-san looks so handsome! Haru's heart is going all doki-doki!" The girl in question squeals from where one of the female assistants was trying to take her measurements but the girl was moving too much, prompting the woman to snap at her in Italian a few times before giving up on that and just doing her best to judge the measurements from the few seconds the girl was still.

"It really does suit you, Tsuna-kun," Kyoko complimented where she was being handed a pretty pink dress with a white bow on the left shoulder strap and white shoes with a small platform heel that would match it nicely by another, far happier assistant.

"Juudaime looks really sharp!" Gokudera agreed, smiling almost dopily at the Sawada child, who was doing his best to keep his ridiculous father from weeping all over the expensive suit, babbling about how his 'Tuna-fishy was all grown up now'. Even Nana, who had already found a dress for herself and was waiting for everyone else, dabbed away a few tears from her eyes but she was, for once, not the embarrassing parent.

"Looking good, Tsuna," said Yamamoto as he tried a different suit jacket for the third time because the man helping him pick couldn't decide which suited him best.

"You should EXTREMELY go for that one, Sawada!"

"Absolutely not," the tailor, Dino and Reborn all said at the same time, glaring as if offended at the suit.

"It makes your waist look like you're going to give birth to a lamb, no offense," the tailor, one of the best in Italy, sniffed, turning his nose up at the choice.

"It's too casual, too standardized for the Vongola heir, so that won't do, Tsuna. Listen to your big bro on this, okay?" The Cavallone added, already eyeing the selection for a better model.

"You look like you decided to be cheap and bought a rental, Dame-Tsuna," the hitman finished and the three nodded in agreement as they shot down Tsuna's choice, who sweatdropped, not having realized he would have to deal with such fashionistas.

"Oh, don't be so harsh on him, you guys," Lucia said with a reassuring smile at Tsuna. "It's only his first choice! He can't tell just by looking whether it will fit him or not and it's obvious he's not used to a high-end place like this."

"Why do I get the feeling that you're more insulting me than defending me?" The future Vongola boss mumbled to himself before looking around to see how the rest of their group was doing. Ryohei was surprisingly still, though that might be because his helper had dared him to be EXTREMELY still for the duration of the few test modifications he's making on the cream colored suit with a red shirt and yellow tie that somehow look ridiculously good on the Sun Guardian. Chrome was being fussed over by two assistants that keep squealing about how cute she was and the poor shy girl didn't seem to be able to get enough room to actually even look at the dresses around her, let alone choose one, though her eyes seemed to be glued to a lilac pretty number just a few feet away from her. Gokudera seemed to know what he was doing, which wasn't surprising at all since he came from a rich background and had been part of the mafia world since birth and Bianchi was still trying on her third choice to decide between the dresses.

Thankfully, Reborn had managed to convince her to buy stylish lightly tinted amber sunglasses and she was trying to find a dress that best went with them, so at least Gokudera was safe from his usual reaction at seeing her face.

Three buffier store assistants were trying to drag Iemitsu into a changing room so Dino could fulfill his promise to Vongola Nono that the External Advisor would actually be seen in a proper suit instead of looking like a hobo oil digger, so that group was being noisy. Tsuna pitied them for having to deal with his father but was glad that the man couldn't cling to him anymore, as he really would rather not make issues for Dino by ruining a suit since everything in the store had at least three zeros behind it. Yes, a single ordinary cufflink or a tie was a thousand euros.

I-Pin had found a cute dress for herself, light pink with a red bow, and some hair decoration that looks like a flower crown, but Lambo was being Lambo and the store assistant assigned to him had to chase him and hold him down to find a suit for the Bovino. And no, the kid wasn't allowed to have any cow-prints because it was a formal event and the _Cavallone boss's wedding_ for crying out loud. Basil helped Fuuta pick out a suit after choosing one for himself and Tsuna was already looking for a different choice, this time with some help from the tailor himself to make sure they don't waste time. Sure, Dino had rented the whole store for the _whole day_ , but there was no need for them to actually spend the entire day there if they didn't need to.

The soon to be married couple had taken to assisting them, giving their opinion here and there. Dino tried to be helpful but Lucia was almost blunt in the way she insulted the choices they made. Tsuna still wasn't sure what was up with her, because she appeared nice but then she'd say some really mean things and he'd reconsider. Besides, something deep within him didn't feel comfortable with her around at all.

"Hey, has anyone seen Hibari?" Yamamoto asked after a while, when the assistant helping him finally seemed satisfied and put away the other suits, leaving the baseball star in a midnight black jacket with a dark blue trim that matched the bow tie being swiftly tied around his neck, matching midnight slacks and black leather shoes.

Almost as if on cue, a blood-chilling scream echoed through the store and one of the assistants that wasn't actually assigned to anyone could be seen hitting the floor. Before anyone could panic that the prefect had finally lost his temper, the Cloud in question stepped out of the private changing room almost half way across the store and everyone kind of just stared. Because while Yamamoto and Ryohei looked really good in their combos and the black suit, red shirt and gray tie seemed to be made with Gokudera in mind, Hibari Kyoya looked like he was born to wear a suit.

It was really simple, actually. A fine - and no doubt expensive - snow white three piece suit with a black dress shirt and a white tie, black leather shoes adorning the prefect's feet and, somehow setting the whole image off even more, the Cloud Vongola Ring gleamed on the middle finger of his right hand. The colors matched perfectly with his pale skin and black hair and the only hint of color on him - not counting Hibird, who was fluttering about its master, chanting his name happily - was the silver-blue color of his eyes that now flashed and almost popped out even more.

"Wow, Hibari-san! That really looks good on you," Tsuna said, thinking enviously that he'd never fit a suit that well. Certainly not enough to make a random girl faint, as it became obvious that was the cause of the assistant's meeting with the ground. Another one was trying to bring her back to consciousness but kept stealing glances at the Japanese man with a furious blush on her cheeks.

"I guess it should be expected of Hibari, right?" Yamamoto laughed while everyone else could just stare and nod dumbly.

Hibari ignored them, fixing his cufflinks - that actually matched how his eyes flashed when the sun hit them right - until the tailor all but teleported in front of him, rambling in Italian with hands clasped in front of him in a begging motion. When the black haired teen didn't react, Reborn chuckled and translated. "He's begging that you pose in a few of his newest designs, as well as that suit, for an ad for his store, Hibari, and he says he'll give you as a gift anything you like from his store." The hitman studies the Cloud for a moment before nodding his head approvingly. "You should definitely go with that one. Good taste, by the way, and a sharp eye for picking it out. You definitely have the best fashion sense out of everyone here and look like you were made for a suit. You could definitely pass for a model."

"Absolutely not!" The couple to be married shouted at the same time, the bride outraged, the groom looking panicked.

"Only the bride is allowed to wear white at a wedding!" Lucia snapped, glaring at the Cloud Guardian, who seemed to be utterly ignoring her, instead staring at his 'tutor'. Tsuna pitied his honorary older brother, because that was one very intense stare. "I'm definitely not allowing it!"

Hibari snorted. "As if I care what you think or allow, herbivore." He then turned to the tailor and said in fluent English. "I will do it, but I want _this_ suit. Bucking Horse can buy me another one for the wedding, if it so offends him."

The man beamed and switched to English as he guided Hibari to a different room, yelling for a photographer, but Tsuna didn't understand much else, since he sucked at English so it didn't matter if it was Italian or English to him. He looked over in confusion when Dino sighed in relief and slumped over. "What's wrong, Dino-san? Why did you object to Hibari-san's choice? I mean, even Reborn agreed that he looked good ... "

The older male gave him a helpless look, appearing flushed in the face. "Tsuna, if your dearest big bro had to see Kyoya in white at a wedding, I would lose my mind."

"You're such a useless, no-good wimp," Reborn retorted, turning Leon into a mallet and whacking Dino over the head with it, making the blond faceplant into the floor while Tsuna shrieked and jumped away lest he is to be faced with the same fate. "Dame-Tsuna, stop wasting time and find another suit. We don't have all day."

"Are you okay, Boss?" Romario came over to check on the blond after the hitman walked off in the direction Hibari had been lead off to, Lucia running over as well and trying to check Dino's head. Tsuna winced in sympathy, knowing far too well just how rough Reborn can be and not at all eager to have a repeat of his own many unlucky encounters with Rebron's scolding methods.

"I'm fine, Romario. I'm used to it. Besides, he didn't even hit me all that hard, so he's probably not all that angry or annoyed, anyway," Dino laughed it off while the young Vongola could only stare, still not understanding Dino's reaction to Hibari's choice or the response he gave to Tsuna's question. The Disciplinary Committee Chairman had really looked good in that white suit, so why was Dino insisting he change it? Tsuna could understand why the bride would be unhappy, but maybe Dino was just agreeing with her as her soon to be husband?

"You shouldn't let him treat you that way, honestly!" Lucia grumbled, looking peeved. "You're a mafia boss of five thousand men and he's just a freelance hitman that usually serves Vongola. He's got no connection to Cavallone, so he should have no right to treat you this way!"

"That's like saying Kyoya has no right to beat up anyone who so much as looks at Nami-chuu wrong, but only an idiot would dare say that to his face," the Cavallone boss said, wincing as he rubbed at his head.

"No, boss, not even just an ordinary idiot. Only a suicidal idiot would piss of Hibari Kyoya," Romario said with a knowing tone in his voice and Tsuna was suddenly reminded that the bespectacled right-hand had also been exposed to Hibari-san's Hibariness for the duration of Hibari's and Dino's 'on the road' training a few months ago. Romario actually seemed rather nonchalant about everything the prefect did and Hibari looked almost comfortable - as comfortable as the Cloud could be in another person's presence - around the man.

Tsuna lamented that he was surrounded by such strange, crazy people.

"Are you seriously comparing the World's Greatest Hitman with an Asian, snot-nosed, spoiled brat?" The Tocceli heiress asked incredulously and Tsuna almost flinched away from his honorary older brother when something dangerous flashed through the young Don's eyes. It disappeared in a blink, leaving the brunet staring incredulously, unsure if he had even seen right or if it had been a trick of the light, especially since Dino gave a small smile as he replied. It was strained,Tsuna realized, and wondered if the happy couple will get into their first argument even before the vows are made.

"Well, they certainly are both very dangerous and seem to have a very similar personality to each other. I guess Kyoya is more like a young Reborn, still rough around the edges but lethal and strong."

"As honored as I'd usually be at being compared to the Baby," Hibari's voice reached them and they all turned around again to see the prefect come in, looking just as dangerously good in a black suit that matched the color of his hair, a purple dress shirt, black leather shoes and black tie, the tailor fussing over the assembly even though it fit perfectly, just like the last one. Reborn even seemed to complete the image by sitting on Hibari's shoulder again, Hibird and Leon posing dramatically to fit their owner's new flare for the dramatics. Well, _Hibari-san's_ new flair for the dramatics and Reborn's usual flair for the dramatics amplified tenfold for some reason. "I'm actually a lot more like my uncle before he properly sharpened his teeth, so I really don't need to be compared to another infant when I already am being compared to another one."

"Ah, so _that's_ your relation to him. I owe Lal Mirch money because of you, but at least Viper owes both us and Colonello twice as much."

"Would the Arcobaleno be so kind as to _not_ bet on my personal relations?"

"Blame your uncle or your own genetics. You could pass off as twins."

" _You're related to an Arcobaleno!?_ " Everyone more related to the mafia - or not thinking of it as a game as Yamamoto and even Ryohei seem to be viewing everything that happened since the Battle for the Rings started - all but shouted, staring at the prefect in a new, terrified light.

Hibari just arched an eyebrow at them.

"Why didn't you tell us!?" Gokudera demanded, actually daring to get in the prefect's face but the tailor surprised them by whipping out a gun from seemingly out of nowhere.

" _Danneggi il seme, muori_ ," hissed the man in Italian, glaring at the hands that had so daringly - and stupidly - tried to make their way to grab Hibari by the lapels. Tsuna feared what the Chairman would do if Gokudera had actually made it and touched Hibari without his permission. Death by an overprotective tailor's gun because of a ruined suit would be much more merciful than whatever Hibari could do. Tsuna remembered Mukuro and the Sky Battle and he'd heard about Gola Mosca and Xanxus. Even severely injured or poisoned, Hibari was a scary person and while he and Xanxus had never really went beyond a warm-up in their impromptu fight, Xanxus had had to use _Flames_ against Hibari's _ordinary attacks_.

Talk about terrifying.

"You hadn't asked and even if you had, it's none of your business," Hibari replied casually, adjusting a cufflink before turning to Dino. "Is this acceptable, Bucking Horse, or must I dress in more monkey suits? I honestly prefer the white one. It allows for more dexterity and range of movement and the fabric feels much nicer on the skin."

Reborn all too happily translated to the tailor, who almost grabbed Hibari by the hand to eagerly lead him to a selection of suits more like the white one. Hibari went with him, dismissing another passing assistant's dead faint when she caught sight of him. Reborn seemed content to stay with the two and Tsuna got the impression that he was enjoying the chaos so easily being spread just by Hibari walking around in formal wear.

"What is taking him so long to choose a suit?" Lucia grumbled, glaring at where the three had disappeared yet again. "It should be simple or is he just being difficult on purpose?"

"Well, the tailor _did_ say he wants Kyoya to model in the suits for a few pictures," Romario pointed out and Tsuna turned curious eyes at the older man. He hadn't really thought that Hibari-san would let Romario call him by name, too. Dino was practically a given, since Dino had been his tutor and Hibari seemed to respect and maybe even _like_ him in his own Hibari way. _'Huh. Seems you learn something new every day.'_ "We're just lucky he seems to have good survival instincts because he didn't request a full on out photo-shoot like he did the first time Boss came to buy a suit here."

"Yeah, Kyoya might just decimate half of Italy if he was to be stuck during something like that."

"I personally think you're giving the guy too much credit. You're biased." Everyone - except maybe Iemitsu, Nana and Lambo - gave Lucia a look that said they pitied her but didn't correct her on just how dangerous it would be to underestimate the Chairman of the Namimori Middle School Disciplinary Committee.

"Bucking Horse, I think I like this one. Buy it." They all turned around for the third time and it was no longer unexpected that Hibari-san would look damn good in a suit. It was the same dress shirt as before and even the same tie, but the material of the suit looked like it might have been made out of darkness itself. And yeah, it definitely looked even better than the second one, almost equally as good as the white one.

Tsuna thought it almost criminally cute that Hibird had been tucked into Hibari's breast pocket to peek out like a flower, the yellow bird looking very comfortable and very pleased with itself.

It didn't distract any from how handsome it made the older teen look.

"Eh!? Why do I have to buy it when you can keep whatever you like in exchange for a few pictures!?" Dino whined, but he didn't look like he was honestly protesting.

"Because I'm keeping the white one and I want you to pay for making me suffer through all of this crowding," Hibari replied shamelessly and Tsuna sweatdropped.

"Michaelo even managed to convince Hibari for a proper photo shoot and would pay him good money," Reborn revealed, smiling as he stepped out from behind Hibari, dressed like what a professional photographer might look like, if Tsuna was understanding it right. "Though he'd like it if you would join Hibari for a few shots, for old time's sake."

The man nodded, not really understanding the words but it was obvious this was already arranged and agreed upon beforehand.

"Dino doesn't have time for that," snapped Lucia while not actually sounding like she's snapping. She may have been annoyed at Reborn earlier, but she clearly wasn't actually suicidal enough to piss him off. "There's a wedding to prepare for and Dino already has to much work-"

"It ranges from formal wear to casual at-home type of outfits," Reborn said, interrupting her and everyone kind of just stared at Hibari for a moment, trying to imagine him in anything other than a school uniform with his beloved red armband.

"I'll do it!" Dino's agreement was maybe even more startling, but he was staring at Hibari when everyone turned questioning or incredulous eyes on him. And he was already reaching into his wallet for his credit cards. "It will probably be just an hour at most. This is Kyoya we're talking about. Besides, I _did_ promise to train with him after this, so you guys can go ahead and do whatever you like for the rest of the afternoon."

"What? Dino-" Lucia went to protest, but the tailor had already grabbed an all too willing Don Cavallone and dragged him away in seconds, almost as though through teleportation. At this point, after everything he's seen so far, Tsuna wouldn't even be all that surprised. "Dino!"

"See you guys later!" The whip user called over his shoulder as he was dragged out of view and Hibari soon turned to follow, throwing only one last glance - more like a sneer - at them over his shoulder. Romario marched off after the two to save his boss from accidentally ripping suits or something equally as costly to the famiglia's funds and the boss' life.

"When you finish up, Ivan will take you for some ice cream or whatever you want. We'll probably be back after dinner, so don't wait for us."

"Dino!" Roared Lucia, but was ignored as she fumed, glaring after the retreating men but not daring to follow because this was a tailor that exclusively sold to the mafia and the assistants were trained assassins as well as seamstresses.

Unseen by everyone else, Reborn tilted his head downwards so his face was shadowed and smirked.

Trust Hibari to make everything go so smoothly according to plan without even being aware of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Omake:
> 
> Some time in the future ...
> 
> "Kya~! The new model is so handsome!"
> 
> "I know! I feel all hot under the collar when I look at him, especially when he's with the blond one!"
> 
> "Hey. isn't that Sawada's Italian friend?"
> 
> "Eh!? No way! You must be seeing things!"
> 
> "Never mind THAT," a boy said, interrupting the fawning girls as he caught a glimpse of the new fashion magazine that one of them was holding and pointed at the new, younger, dark haired, Asian-looking model. "Isn't that ... Hibari-san?"
> 
> A moment of silence and then the entire classroom had gathered around the gossiping/squealing group of girls, everyone peering down at the magazine in her hands. The silence that followed was a shocked and disbelieving one, because the handsome new model really DID look a lot like their very own Hibari Kyoya, the demon prefect of Namimori. Sure they all knew, vaguely, that Hibari was a handsome boy but they were all a bit too terrified of him to really take notice of it since they were usually too busy trying to run for their lives.
> 
> "I-it can't be, right?"
> 
> "He hats crowding and photo shoots have a lot of people and take forever!"
> 
> "It has to be a coincidence!"
> 
> "He doesn't even have any tonfa or that cute yellow bird!"
> 
> Except, when they turned the page, they found a picture of the perfect copy of Hibari Kyoya with tonfa in hand and a bird on his head, the blond model from before standing back to back with him with whip in hand and a cute turtle resting on his shoulder, though no one really took notice of either their fashionable clothing or the blond in general. They were too stunned, awed and a great deal terrified to see the Leader of the Disciplinary Committee was indeed the model they had all been fawning over.
> 
> "EEEEHHHHH!?"
> 
> On the other side of the school, Sawada Tsunayoshi blinked as he looked up from his lunch when he heard the noise. "What was that?"
> 
> "Beats me, Tsuna."
> 
> "I don't know, Juudaime. Would you like me to go and check?"
> 
> "Sounds like some of your classmates have found out about Hibari's brief modeling career," Reborn commented as he appeared, as always, literally out of nowhere. "I suggest you all fake a stomach flu and run. Hibari might be out for blood soon."
> 
> Tsuna and his friends didn't hesitate to follow the instructions and fled the scene as fast as they could while the hitman himself remained to watch the unfolding drama.
> 
> In another part of the school, silver blue eyes looked up from some paperwork they were reading over and pierced one poor, poor Kusakabe Tetsuya with their cold, disapproving stare. "What was that noise?"
> 
> "It would seem some of the students follow a certain fashion magazine, Chairman."
> 
> Hibari needed nothing more, so he stood up and tonfa flashed silver in his hands. "I will bite those herbivores to death."
> 
> Whether he means Dino Cavallone and the tailor Michaelo or the students remains to be seen...
> 
> A/N: ;)


	5. Chapter 5

True to Romario's words, Hibari and Dino did indeed come back late. So late, in fact, that all of the guests had long since went to sleep and so the trio simply went about their night routine before retiring for the night as well, up early in the morning before everyone else because Dino had promised more sparring to Hibari and the two were at it even before breakfast was served.

Most of the table gaped at them when they joined in sometime during the middle of breakfast with covered wounds and mussed hair they hadn't bothered to smooth out yet. Well, Dino looked disheveled. Hibari just looked like he had not broken a sweat during whatever kind of spar they'd been having, hair only just a bit wind-sweapt. At least he looked like he was in a good mood that morning. Dino, too, Reborn noted. Well, young love had a tendency to do that and the blond was quite hopelessly smitten already.

And Lucia was seething, so that was an added bonus to Dino's clear happiness at having his precious pupil around.

"I'm just saying that I don't get the point of rehearsing a wedding," Gokudera was saying and Reborn turned his attention to the conversation the Guardians were having. Well, actually, Chrome had been chatting - as much as such a shy girl can chat - with the other girls at their gentle prodding and coaxing while the boys, sans of course the Cloud Guardian, were apparently discussing the day's planned activities. "I mean, if you've decided to get married, then you should be prepared for everything that entails, right? What's the point of ruining the magic of that special day by having rehearsals? It's not a play. It should be genuine, right?"

"Don't compare the ultimate act of love to a play!" Haru snapped, apparently offended by Gokudera's opinion. "It's not like that! It's just that everyone wants that special day to be absolutely perfect, so sometimes people make rehearsals so that everything can go smoothly on the actual wedding day!"

"Didn't you ever hear of Murphy's Law? If that's the mentality you're taking to your wedding, then something definitely _will_ go wrong."

"You just don't understand romance at all!"

"Um, I kind of agree with Gokudera-kun on this one. Rehearsing something like that ... It almost makes it feel fake." Reborn nearly smirked at that, but he hid it behind a sip of his espresso. And just because he had a cup in front of his eyes didn't mean he couldn't observe how others - except Gokudera, who was overjoyed and smug that his precious Juudaime agreed with him - reacted to Tsuna's opinion. Lucia was tense, probably because she knew there was no actual love between her and Dino. The said blond was deliberately casual and calm as he continued his meal, but the most interesting reaction was Hibari's, in that there was no visible reaction at all. And yet Reborn could tell he was listening intently. The air always seemed colder and thicker around the prefect when he was on high alert. It was also interesting how his eyes pointedly did not look at either the groom or bride to be as he finished his breakfast and proceeded to casually sip his green tea. (Seriously, _genetics_. The kid was _way_ too like his uncle that it was eerie.)

"But Tsu-kun, even your Papa and I had a rehearsal for our wedding," Nana interrupted and Reborn felt the need to faceplant into the table because everything about Iemitsu's life was make-believe, why would his wedding be any different? He'd seen the picture. He couldn't believe the idiot had actually shown up in an oil worker's uniform. That was just pushing it.

"And Sawada Nana and Sawada Iemitsu are the most lovey-dovey couple in my rankings!" Fuuta, bless his innocence, chirped.

"I-I guess ... "

"Ah ha!" Harua exclaimed, pointing a finger at Gokudera triumphantly. "You see! It's perfectly normal to rehearse the ultimate act of love so that the wedding itself can go smoothly!"

"If something is an 'act'," Hibari surprised them all by speaking up, apparently joining in on the discussion. Everyone, startled, whirled around to stare at the usually completely-content-to-stay-quiet-and-ignore-them teen at those words, but Hibari wasn't even looking at them, instead focused on feeding Hibird some sunflower seeds that had been provided especially for Hibird by Dino's staff. "It cannot be genuine. To call something 'an act of love' implies that it will not last. If marriage is the 'ultimate act of love', then it is nothing but a shackle weighing you down to a burden you cannot carry. It's only a restraint. To rehearse a wedding is the same as putting up an act for everyone else that you feel blessed while feeling trapped, either by expectations or something else. There is no such thing as perfection. Expecting as much will only ruin your supposedly happiest day."

There was a long moment of silence, no one quite sure how they should react beyond stare at the disinterested teenager. Even Reborn wasn't sure how he should react to this. No one could have seen something like _that_ coming from the prefect.

"Wow," Yamamoto finally breathed, breaking the silence. "I never thought you'd have an opinion like that on such a matter, Hibari! That's pretty amazing," he finished with a little laugh and a sunny grin.

Hibari finally deigned to look up from his pet and grace them with his attention. "I have such opinions on honesty and oaths. A person who practices their oaths does not mean them. To give an oath is to willingly bind yourself to something or someone that you consider important enough to give up a piece of your own freedom. To say an empty oath is to clip your own wings instead of soar higher because you have found something you will never give up, something you will strive for or to protect and cherish. Do not mistake this as empty headed, herbivorous romantics. To give an oath is to accept a bind, a bond. To say an empty oath is to put a restraint on yourself _and_ on another." The disgust in his voice was plain as day and Reborn remembered all that everyone ever said about Clouds and once again thought Hibari's Flames and personality could not be more of a perfect match. "But you herbivores obviously don't understand something so complex, therefore you rehears and say empty oaths all the time. It is revolting but none of my business. Just at least _try_ to sound like you mean it, or else your little 'act of love' will be even more meaningless."

The last part was said at the room at large but there was a pointed feel to it that obviously meant it was directed at the soon to be married couple. Dino actually winced and his fiancee was glaring death at the Cloud, who was ignoring everyone again.

Well, that definitely set the mood for the ride to the church that the wedding would be held at.

Reborn found himself incredibly bored during the car ride, since Hibari had finally reached his limit in 'dealing with herbivores' and had opted to sit in the front with Romario and the others. Lucia was taking the opportunity to all but squash Dino's arm in her chest, trying to chat everyone up into a better mood but Hibari's words still rang in their ears loud and clear, making everyone question things and have midlife crisis every five minutes. That would usually have been entertaining, but the air was too heavy for even Reborn to enjoy it.

The situation at the church was no better when they started, from the seating arrangements to the organs playing the Wedding March to the flower girls and the introduction of Lucia's maid of honor and such things. Hibari stayed will out of the way of such things, content to wait it out like he probably will at the wedding, too, if the plan goes that far, leaning back in his seat with crossed arms and legs, eyes closed, Hibird on his head, probably taking a nap despite the chatter and commotion.

Except he was tense and alert and every now and then his eyes would snap open to stare in a certain direction without being obvious about it. Reborn didn't take long to sniff Lal Mirch out and go to her.

"Reborn? Long time no see. I guess I should have expected that you'd actually seek me out sooner rather than later," the incomplete Arcobaleno said when he walked up to her in her hiding spot. From this spot, she got a clear view of the whole church but she seemed to be focused on the Cloud Guardian, who was once again glancing in their direction, apparently at every single minute movement Lal made. "What is _up_ with that guy? I've changed places three times already and each time he tracked my movements. I'm not giving up this spot. Either tell him to cool it or I'll be shooting him with a tranquility bullet, I swear. He'll give away my position at this rate."

"You mean Fon's little doubleganger? His name is Hibari Kyoya, Sawada Tsunayoshi's Guardian of the Cloud Vongola Ring. Don't mind him, he's a predator acknowledging another predator, Lal. And he's good at hiding his tells. Only an Arcobaleno or Dino would be able to tell if he's acting differently," he reassured her, smiling. "And it's good to see you too. Colonello's been pining after you again."

That prompted a blush and a halfhearted punch from the CEDEF agent. "Shut up." She composed herself before going down to business. "So, how much do you know?"

"Not much, really," the Sun Arcobaleno admitted. "Probably as much as you, maybe a little more."

"You think you've been informed about this operation more than CEDEF?" Lal asked, amused.

Reborn smirked at her. "Well, I at least know Dino's secret weapon for figuring out if they really mean him ill or not. His intuition is telling him one thing, but even it is confused. Even Tsuna's Vongola Hyper Intuition can't seem to pinpoint an opinion and I can't exactly rely on my hitman intuition since it tells me everyone can be an enemy at any point in time."

"Cavallone actually has something that can help out with that?" She asked, sounding confused.

Reborn smirked even more, pointing a finger down at Hibari, who was back to 'ignoring' his surroundings. "Not something, but a some _one_. Fon's got nothing on this kid's almost animalistic instincts and analyzing speed. He can judge a person in seconds." Lal looked skeptical but they didn't exactly get a chance to finish their conversation when everyone was called down for the rehearsal, meaning Reborn had to make an appearance lest people start searching for him and give away Lal's location. "Well, see ya."

"We're finishing this later!" The other called after him and he nodded without turning back around.

"If everyone's ready," the priest said when everyone was seated. "Then let us begin the rehearsal. Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today," and so on he went, Reborn ignoring him in favor of observing the church, wondering if Dino's suspicions were true at all and that someone might try to off him at the wedding instead of waiting for him to update his will or something, later down the line.

Then again, rare few wait to serve revenge cold if it is an act of passion and rage.

"And now," the priest said after his part was all said and done, skipping the part about anyone objecting the marriage because this was just a rehearsal and no one was going to practice for something as unlikely as that. "The groom and bride have written their own vows. Let us hear them."

"I, Lucia Torcceli, promise thee, Dino Cavallone, to always love and cherish you with all my heart, in sickness and in health, rich or poor, be our lives full of fortune or misfortune, until death do us part." The girls all looked a bit teary eyed as they listened to Lucia speak and even the boys seemed a bit touched, but Reborn had to hide a grimace. Lucia was a good actor and maybe she even genuinely had some sort of attraction to Dino - it wouldn't be hard; Don Cavallone was young, handsome, strong, influential and _very_ rich, as well as charming and charismatic enough to draw people in like a magnet - but, in the wake of their earlier discussion, the words sounded fake. Hibari was definitely right about how meaningless and empty rehearsed oaths sounded and this definitely sounded rehearsed.

The hitman wondered if a word of it was genuine.

"That was lovely, Ms Tocceli. Mr Cavallone, if you would please," the priest turned to the blond groom and Dino visibly gulped, but he faced his wife head on. If Reborn hadn't had that conversation with him two nights ago, even _he_ would have had trouble discerning where Dino's eyes rested as he cleared his throat and spoke.

"I, Dino Cavallone, promise thee, K- Lucia Tocceli." Rebron almost facepalmed at the near slip-up. Lucia definitely noticed it, judging by how her eyes narrowed, as did Iemitsu and the few people of his team that are not in hiding for this mission. Reborn saw Romario sigh and actually bring his hand up to massage the bridge of his nose in exasperation and probably second-hand embarrassment. "To always love and treasure you, to respect you and cherish you like the greatest of all treasures, to give my heart only to you and no one else, because you already hold it in your hands."

Nana and Haru let out little happy sobs and even Bianchi and Kyoko sniffed politely. Ryohei seemed to be silently crying EXTREME tears as he was apparently extremely touched, though how he was refraining himself from actually yelling out the words was a mystery. Gokudera seemed a bit uncomfortable by the mushy stuff and Tsuna seemed obliviously happy for Dino. Yamamoto was just politely silent and Chrome seemed to be off in her own world, but even Lambo was silent and listening and Fuuta seemed ready to write down the ranking of Dino's marriage vows as soon as the blond was finished. Iemitsu was busy being too emotional and gushing with Nana to actually pay attention to the mission at hand. Reborn was comforted in the knowledge that at least Lal was on the look out for any danger that might be threatening his former student.

Though he pitied Dino, truly. Hibari was right _there_ , but not where he should be if these words were being spoken with him as the intended recipient. He was sitting in the first row, the one that curved around the dais where the groom and bride to be were standing, literally just behind Lucia's shoulder, in clear sight for Dino to look at as he confessed. The prefect's face was unreadable, especially with his bangs hanging over to shadow his eyes from view, but he didn't seem moved at all by the words.

Though, why should he? Knowing Dino, the idiot had only dropped a few hints here and there that he might consider Hibari precious as something other than a student or a strong asset for Tsuna's family. It was ridiculous that a mafia boss was so bothered by something like legal age and the gap between them. Though, it's not actually as if _any_ of them actually know Hibari's age. The kid's file is all but empty, all the information about his private life hidden to the point Reborn was sure not even Viper - or Mammon, however they liked to call themselves these days - couldn't find much on the boy. Dino was just using it as an excuse so that he didn't have to face the fact that, for the first time, he felt seriously about someone of his own gender.

Dino had experimented, of course, in his late teens, but he had always only had girlfriends before and never an all too serious relationship regardless of his partner's gender. Of course he'd be startled - and probably even intimidated - by suddenly discovering he had such feelings for someone rather younger than him and of his own gender, not to mention that they lived halfway across the world from each other.

The wimp should just get over himself and accept his feelings and make a goddamned move. It's impossible to tell what Hibari is feeling, but the Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee obviously liked the Don well enough or else he would have never come, special personal invitation or not.

"I promise to protect you, even if you don't need it," Dino continued, breaking Reborn out of his thoughts and bringing him back to the present. It would seem the blond Don isn't done yet. "To stand by your side no matter what, in sickness and in health, rich or poor, in good and in bad. I promise to share with you all that I am, to love you until my very last dying breath." Lucia seemed to be gaping at this point, a disbelieving stare in her eyes, but Dino's eyes were still locked on a certain skylark. "I love you, K-"

The rustle of cloth - a black gakuran, to be precise - was all the warning any of them got before Hibari dove for Dino just as a bang rang out of the staircase leading to the bell tower and echoed throughout the church, making everyone fling themselves to the floor and reach for their weapons or scream in fright.

"Ivan, lead the men through the south staircase, Michael, take the other one!" Romario barked at the Cavallone men stationed as bodyguards throughout the church before taking out a walkie talkie and barking more orders into the device to surround the grounds and close the perimeter, to not allow anyone to escape no matter the means. Then the right hand man of the Cavallone ran over to his boss, ignoring how everyone else was panicking or asking each other if they were alright. "Boss!"

"Kyoya, are you alright!?" The panicked blond, though, seemed to be perfectly fine, sprawled on the floor, more worried about and staring up at the prefect. Hibari had his tonfa out as well as a new interesting feature on them. Specifically the small but wicked sharp blade that sprang out from just above the black material covering the weapon's handle. Reborn, as he and Tsuna ran over to check on the two, idly wondered where the hell a middle school student had managed to get a weapon with so many hidden features before focusing back on examining the situation.

Hibari, Dino, the priest - who was crossing himself and sobbing thanks to the Lord for sparing his life - and Lucia all seemed fine. Hibari had bypassed Lucia completely in his mad dash for Dino and had not bothered with her at all, not caring about her fate, but he had thrown himself into the blond Don, pushing him out of the way while at the same time taking out his most trusted weapon to _split the bullet open in two clean halves_ with just the ferocity and precision of his movements and the sharp edge of the little blade adorning the tonfa. The two halves were now laying at his feet, all their momentum having been robbed by the split and then hitting the now scurfed tonfa, bouncing off a few inches away from the truly terrifying Japanese teen.

Reborn wanted to applaud him, because he had only seen a couple of people in his whole life manage to do something like that and they had all been not only Flame active, but also very skilled in using said Flames. Reborn resolved to take another, closer look into what they knew about the Cloud Guardian.

No one ever said Hibari Kyoya was ordinary, but this was beyond human.

"Boss, we caught the sniper!" Called one of Dino's men, but he didn't sound happy. "He swallowed some pill and died while coughing up blood like a chocolate fountain."

"Dino, are you okay?!" A panicked-sounding Lucia asked as she knelt down by the man, her right hand man and personal bodyguard standing guard over her and eyeing warily the black haired teenager still alert and looking around with sharp silver eyes. "You're not hurt, are you? That scared me!" The woman even went as far as to fling herself at him and cry into his shoulder, but Dino's eyes were still fixed on Hibari, who finally let his weapons drop.

"Get up, Bucking Horse. Stop acting like a herbivore." The prefect ignored the blond's protests and the man scrambling to his feet to try and check him over for injuries. Reborn watched Hibari examine the remains of the bullet at his feet before emotionlessly taking out a phone and pressing a single button to speed-dial someone.

The phone was answered before the second ring was up.

"Kusakabe Tetsuya," the head prefect said and all of those familiar with Namimori stopped what they were doing to listen, incredulous but not really that Hibari wouldn't care about the time difference and just call whenever he felt like it. No one dared to utter a word, though, lest they find themselves bitten to death. "You have seven hours to assemble the Disciplinary Committee in Italy. Bucking Horse's mansion." With that, he hung up and turned around, walking up the bell tower and ignoring everyone else.

"H-hey, wait a minute, Kyoya! There's no way that they can make it here in that time!" Dino predictably protested but Romario wouldn't let him leave until he was properly checked over for injuries, just in case there was actually some shrapnel that might have hit him without him noticing in the adrenaline rush.

Reborn watched Hibari go and wondered if he should call Fon.

This looked like it was getting even more complicated.


	6. Chapter 6

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Dino-kun?" Nana asked, sounding worried. "I mean, that firecracker nearly hit you! How careless of those children, and how rude, playing in a holy place like that."

The blond in question just laughed uneasily but convincingly enough as he waved her concerns off, wondering just how the hell Iemitsu had managed to sell _that_ story to the civilians. "It's nothing to concern yourself about, mama, really! I wasn't even grazed. Romario gave me a clean bill of health and besides, I _did_ promise everyone that I will take you to the Cavallone stables to see our horses. We're very proud of them. They're a family tradition for many years now." The Bucking Bronco himself bragged with a puffed up chest, obviously indeed proud of the horse farm the Cavallone ran to cover some of their _less legal_ activities. "Why don't you go on and enjoy yourself with everyone else? You deserve a vacation, too."

The woman smiled and accepted his offer, going over to where the people tending to the horses were explaining how to ride a horse even though none of them will actually be riding it without someone else leading the animals. Dino watched them go 'aww' and 'ooh' over the animals for a moment before he felt a presence beside him and glanced at the External Advisor from the corner of his eye.

"When Nono and I read Reborn's reports on Tsuna's potential Guardians, no one said _he_ was _that_ good," the older man said, smiling at his wife when she got on a horse and waved to him. Tsuna, on a pnoy not far away, was already clinging to the poor animal's neck desperately even if the horse was small and just shifting its hooves in place. "But I guess no one can quite judge a Cloud's strength until they go all out, especially for a kid who's not even Flame active yet."

"This has very little to do with him being a Cloud and has everything to do with him being Hibari Kyoya," Dino countered, though he will admit he was as flabbergasted as everyone else when he realized what Kyoya had done. To not only detect killing intent when no one else could, but to also get in front of Dino before the bullet reached him and then to _slice it in half_ is terrifying. Dino was pretty sure only the Arcobaleno could do that and maybe Squalo, given his proficiency with a sword, but he'd never realized Kyoya knew how to fight with a bladed weapon as well. Though it was still just an extension of his tonfa and Kyoya was _very_ good with his tonfa. "You can't just dump him into the same class as every other Cloud out there, just like you can't dump Reborn into the same bin as any other Sun. And he's still only a kid. He'll become a real monster one day." If he ever cools down and doesn't just rush into every dangerous, exciting fight he comes across, that is.

"Lal Mirch never detected any hostile presence and she had a clear view of the whole church. I think she's interrogating Reborn right now about it. I will admit to being skeptical when I heard you wanted to involve a newcomer to our world into an operation as sensitive as this, but it would seem that I was wrong to doubt you _or_ my son's strongest Guardian. He'll be a great asset."

Dino frowned, mouth tugging down unhappily, but didn't speak against Iemitsu. It would be pointless. The man was worse than Reborn. Reborn at least only _pretended_ not to hear you when you complained against his decision. Iemitsu had actual selective hearing and ignored everything that didn't fit his view or his plans. Dino just resolved to keep the Head of CEDEF as far away from Kyoya as was possible, because Kyoya was a _true Cloud_ and would find Iemitsu's views of him and his attempts to make him fit that mold as a form of restraint and might just try to bite him to death, which would end badly for everyone involved.

"We have a confirmed identity on the sniper," Iemitsu revealed, which was actually a conversation Dino would rather have than have to deal with Tsuna's father's usual antics. He was a good, loyal man, who loved Vongola enough to die for the family, but he was also a ditz and that was coming from _Dino_. "The pill he used is a tricky little thing, a new poison of sorts, meant to erase DNA structures so that the hitman can never be identified, but we got him before it could take full effect. He's free-lance, small-time and cheap and with no association with the Tocceli famiglia whatsoever. However, we're looking into his contacts and most recent hits and missions. By tomorrow morning, we should have a list of clients for the whole past year and we'll look into every single one until we find something suspicious. I've reported all of this to Nono already, of course." That made Dino grit his teeth, because he wasn't dumb. He knew he was receiving a simplified version, lacking some parts of the data that Don Vongola will be getting and deciding whether Dino should know about it or not. "He's asking if you need more assistance. He's willing to send a few Varia over to help."

Dino shot him an incredulous look, but was saved from having to answer to that stupidity when Gokudera let out a scared scream and they all looked over to find him trying to get close to a young black mare that hated just about everyone, save Dino himself, Reborn and Romario, when she was in a good mood. No one's ever managed to put a saddle on her let alone ride her, but she's usually tolerant enough to allow for regular grooming and health checks from the stable hands.

"Ah, sorry, Hurricane Bomb," Dino said as he walked over, smiling at the now fuming silver haired Italian teen. "But she's a feisty one. Hates just about everyone under the sun. I'll get Amber out. Brave is usually calmed with him about."

"Control your horses, Haneuma!" Gokudera screamed and then flinched away when Brave snorted in displeasure.

"It's a really beautiful horse," Yamamoto praised from where he was petting a ginger pony that Lambo, Fuuta and I-Pin were sitting on, eagerly waiting for the little trot that the stable hands will help with.

"Yes, well, it's a shame she doesn't let anyone put a saddle on her or even a bridle. She's got good bone structure and strong muscles and she runs like the wind, but she's so temperamental that she can never be a racing horse or a show horse. She's free in heart," the woman usually tending to Brave said, lamenting.

"Midori tanabiku Namimori no," a high pitched voice sang and they all watched as the familiar yellow, fluffy form of Hibird flew over their heads, undisturbed as always. "Dai naku shou naku Nami ga ii." Then, because it has been utterly spoiled since Hibari adopted it and was used to being allowed to do whatever it wanted, Hibird brazenly landed on Brave's mane, right between her ears, as if the horse were Kyoya and would allow it because it was cute.

Surprisingly enough, Brave did. She made no move whatsoever to chase the bird away. In fact, she seemed to calm down and just ignored Gokudera instead of giving him a horse's version of a death glare for daring to come near her.

"Well, I guess she likes Hibird," Dino said, rubbing at the back of his head in half confusion as he watched said bird nestle comfortably onto its new perch. "Can't say I saw that one coming."

"Maybe age is just finally taming her," Lucia, who had never even _seen_ an actual horse from this close up, suggested and Dino refrained from snorting.

Someone else did it for him. "Wao, that's a new level of obliviousness and I thought Sawada Tsunayoshi and his crowd of herbivores were bad enough."

Lucia whirled around to glare at the prefect, who was lounging under the shade of a nearby tree, arms crossed under his head and obviously intending to ignore them all for the sake of a good afternoon nap. Dino was kind of surprised to see that Chrome was sitting under the same tree, though nowhere near close to Kyoya, but he guessed the girl was quiet as a mouse so Kyoya wouldn't mind her as long as she didn't 'crowd' him.

"And what do _you_ know about horses, brat? Last time I checked, you are a middle school delinquent that never even left his little shitty town."

"I know that you're loud and annoying," replied Hibari with a slight edge creeping into his voice and Dino paled, recognizing the signs of true irritation surfacing, which usually was the only warning one got before a tonfa nearly broke their jaw. Romario had had to actually wrap up his jaw the second day of their training, because Kyoya had managed to get in a good hit and even while evading the most devastating damage - that hit could have seriously shattered his mandible - his jaw had still cracked and needed medical treatment. "No one would want to be around you. Any of you."

"Then why don't _you_ do better, oh mighty perfect prefect?" Lucia snapped back and Dino started looking around for cover, noting Tsuna and Yamamoto, at least, were smart enough to mimic him. This might just be Kyoya's breaking point.

But Kyoya instead just yawned as he got up, looking bored. "I guess I might as well get Hibird so he can ditch this place. I've had enough of nosy herbivores for today." Chrome shuffled over so she can see just as everyone else from Nami-chuu turned around to watch warily as Kyoya made his way over to the black horse. The mare immediately huffed at him threateningly, skurfing the ground with her hooves, but that was definitely not something that would deter or scare Hibari Kyoya. He just continued walking towards Brave, nonchalant, as Hibird chanted his name a few times before settling down again. Something in Kyoya shifted at that and Dino recognized it as the prefect's usual fondness for cute, small animals and that seemed to take even Brave aback because she stopped outright threatening him and just stood eerily still.

"Don Cavallone, is this truly okay?" The woman usually tending to the mare asked uneasily, staring with worry at where the teenager was now within arms reach of the horse. "Brave doesn't like people being that close to her without a barrier between them."

"I don't think Kyoya needs protection from her, though," Dino replied as he watched curiously how Kyoya carefully raised a hand, eyes never leaving the horse's, and just held it there in between them, letting the animal decide the next move. "He seems to have it fully under control." He couldn't hear what the prefect was saying, but calming, quietly murmured words _did_ carry on the wind to where they were all standing and watching the proceedings. Dino nearly had a heart attack when Brave finally moved forward,panicking for just a second that the horse might attack his student but the mare simply leaned forward to rest her nose against the outstretched pale hand.

"I'm truly sorry that you're always surrounded by such noisy, useless herbivores. They must annoy you to death," the battle maniac said gently, moving closer to the horse, to her neck where he started gently petting her. Brave neighed as if in agreement, snorting. Hibird chirped something as well, but it had no more meaning than the bird just making an agreeing noise of its own. "They don't know that you want to take the reins, do they? Such foolish herbivores, trying to tame a heart meant to be wild and free."

"No way," the stable hands all around breathed to one another, marveling at what they thought to be an impossible sight. The stable hand that had retrieved Amber at Dino's request earlier had also frozen in place a little behind the Don, staring at the scene in awe. The white stallion with an amber, almost blond mane huffed, walking past the stunned man to nose at its master's hair, nibbling a bit affectionately to ask for attention. Dino absently started stroking its nose by habit and that settled the stallion. He never took his eyes off of Kyoya walking slowly closer to Brave's middle.

"I won't restrain you," Kyoya said gently but not quietly to the horse, a promise meant from the very heart of his being.

Brave shifted from foot to foot but made no move to protest against Hibari's hands when he put them on her back to brace himself. She held perfectly, obediently still as Kyoya heaved himself up, sitting bareback on the powerful black mare as though it was nothing novel for him. He simply leaned down and stroked Brave's neck when she grew a bit unsettled because she had never had a rider before, had never carried the weight of a person on her back and was clearly unsure of how to handle this first-time occurrence. But she didn't try to throw him off, didn't try to buck or move until pale fingers caught into her mane gently to hold on. Then, with a simple nudge from Kyoya's feet, she started going forwards at a slow pace, the both of them getting used to the motions.

Dino couldn't stop himself from beaming in pride. Kyoya may truly never consider him his tutor, but Dino would always be proud of his pupil, no matter what Kyoya achieved.

"How did you do that?" The woman hired to tend to Brave asked in a breathy voice as Kyoya directed Brave this way and that, trying to figure out the finer points of riding even though he had probably only halfheartedly listened to the short introduction the stablehands had given the visitors when Dino had lead them to the farm. "She's never allowed anyone to even _attempt_ that, not even the Boss!"

"I can handle riding a bucking horse," Kyoya said casually, though there was a smirk playing at his lips. Dino felt light headed for some reason. "They're really easy to tame. And they tend to like me."

"The hell kind of explanation is that?" Gokudera groused even as he grumbled a bit jealously that Hibari got to get the beautiful black horse that no one could ride.

"Have you ever heard of the story about the Macedonian ruler Alexander the Great and his faithful steed, Bucephalus? You should have, given you come from these parts. Alexander had tamed him because he was observant. He noticed that the horse was afraid of its own shadow and had went around that by positioning it so it was facing the sun before he mounted it. What I did was similar, Gokudera Hayato," the Disciplinary Committee's Chairman said easily. "Brave is not afraid of her own shadow, but she dislikes the noise you herbivores make. Moreover, she dislikes her saddle and bridle, or any saddle and bridle for that matter. She will never be a truly _tame_ horse. She likes her freedom. And while it is questionable just how much animals can truly understand of the human language, they _can_ sense intent. I had no intention of binding her, of taking her freedom. She sensed that and let me mount, because she knew I wouldn't put a bridle or a saddle on her. She is not restrained. She can buck and get free at any time that she wants. For this choice that I have gifted her, she in turn gifted me the honor of mounting a powerful animal like herself."

"Figures only a Cloud would figure that out," Reborn said as he appeared out of nowhere, jumping onto Dino's shoulder. Amber snorted a greeting at him, which drew Brave's attention and she looked over. She neighed in greeting and stomped her hooves and Dino was reminded of how impatient his student could get when Dino was dallying before the start of their training sessions.

He huffed, waving off the stablehand when he asked if the Don wanted a saddle. Dino has been riding horses since he was a child and even though he was usually very clumsy, he rarely had trouble while on a horse's back. Even without a saddle, he could ride properly and besides, Brave was getting impatient. While she seems to like Kyoya, he'd rather not tempt fate with her infamous temper.

"Are you up for a riding lesson, Kyoya?" He asked the prefect as he lead Amber over to Brave, the two horses immediately rubbing their heads together in the usual fond greeting the noble animals exchanged.

The Japanese narrowed his eyes at him. "I don't need lessons in anything from _you_ , herbivore."

"Um, could you help me out, Dino-san?" Tsuna called, asking for help while smiling sheepishly, still all but flat out lying on the pony he'd been given.

"I can help you, Juudaime! Horseback riding is easy!" The Hurricane Bomb, predictably, offered, getting all competitive over who will prove to be the most helpful and useful to his beloved boss and while Dino was glad that his 'little brother' had such loyal friends and Guardians, he kind of wished for once that they would be silent or at least quieter about it. "First, you need to position yourself in the saddle so that you are approximately three point five centimetres away from the front end of the saddle, which should allow for your knees to be bent at about one hundred degrees-"

"Gokudera-kun, there's no way I could learn like that," the helpless Vongola heir deadpanned and Dino sweatdropped, because that was a rather ... _mathematical_ approach, the likes of which he'd never seen before when learning a new skill. Tsuna's Guardians were certainly an entertaining bunch. "I'm not smart like you."

"I honestly don't think anyone else could learn like that, either," Dino agreed and wondered, for a split second, how Kyoya would react to someone like that trying to train him for the Ring Conflict. Well, Gokudera would have been, without a doubt, immediately booted out of the Reception Room or, if he was so unlucky as to to only start talking when they were on the rooftop, would be thrown right over the fence on the roof, regardless of the thing happening on Nami-chuu's grounds. Dino had heard that the Disciplinary Committee was good at making things 'disappear', so no one would even question it. Not that anyone would ever dare question Hibari Kyoya in the first place. Namimori has learned who they belong to a long time ago.

"So you'll help, Dino-san?" Tsuna asked, sounding hopeful.

"Yeah, give us an EXTREME demonstration!" Ryohei exclaimed, startling the horses and making Brave neigh in disapproval that was echoed by Kyoya's glare.

 _'Actually, I'm surprised I hadn't figured out sooner that these two are meant to be,'_ he mused to himself as he laughed at the kids' excitement. He guessed that none of them had ever actually seen a real horse before, so it really shouldn't be all that surprising that they'd grow excited.

"That's a wonderful idea, right , Dino?" Lucia said with a sunny smile, but her irritation at Kyoya having succeeded in the challenge she had presented him was still present and Dino nearly twitched. "We can teach them a few tricks so the kiddies can play and we can go on a ride through the track in the woods."

"That would be great!" Yamamoto crowed and the girls all thanked him for his kindness.

"I hope it's not too much trouble," Kyoko was saying when Kyoya said a very simple but very surprising sentence before heading in the direction of the forest track Lucia had mentioned.

"Find your own tutors, this one's mine."

"What are you loitering around here for, wimpy Dino?" Reborn said as his only warning before Dino received a kick to the face from the hitman, who was not landing down beside Amber's feet. Dino didn't even feel the pain, far too shocked by what his precious pupil had said. They had been words that Dino had thought Hibari completely and utterly incapable of. Especially in context of himself. Hibari had been very adamant that he didn't consider Dino capable of teaching him anything new, so this was indeed definitely a surprise. "Don't keep Hibari waiting."

"We can teach them, Boss! Leave it to us!" The stable hands reassured him with a bunch of thumbs up and Romario even made a shooing motion at him when he looked over to his right hand man. Looking over towards the forest track's start, he found Hibari actually waiting for him, Brave neighing her displeasure at Amber taking so long. Hibird, though, was flying over to land on Dino's head, chirping.

"Hurry, hurry! Bite you to death, bite you to death!"

Don Cavallone smiled at that. _'Well, I guess that decides it.'_ He nodded to his men. "I'm leaving it to you. They _must_ know how to ride on their own by the time Kyoya and I return."

"We're on it, Boss!"

"Hiieeee!?" A horrified Tsuna screamed as Dino turned Amber around and had him run over to Brave and Kyoya. Only Kyoya had been studying his movements carefully and thus proceeded to do a very Kyoya-like thing by nudging Brave to run off into the forest, carefully maneuvering on the path. Dino shook his head at his student and made Amber run faster. It would seem that they were going to have a little race. It would be shameful of Haneuma Dino, Cavallone Decimo, to lose in a horseback riding race to a beginner, after all, even if that begginer was the ever scary Hibari Kyoya.

He didn't mind that Kyoya had the advantage of a head start. After all, he'll need it, since he was riding for the first time and Brave had never before had a rider on her back, either, so she didn't have the stamina to carry him far, even if she was a strong and fast horse. Amber, on the other hand, knew Dino's weight very well and they made a good team.

He didn't doubt that the race would eventually lead to a spar, either, so he was glad he had taken his whip with him and had no doubt that Kyoya probably literally slept with his tonfa on his person. This promised to be a fun afternoon, despite how the day had started that morning.

He was really glad he had invited Kyoya to his 'wedding'.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italics is Italian! 😅

" _-please calm yourself, boss!_ " A voice said quietly as Hibari was reading a book he'd brought from Japan in one of the empty lounge rooms in the massive Cavallone Manor, trying to keep well away from the other occupants of the house. He's had enough mingling for the rest of his life, really, but something strange was going on here so he couldn't leave. He had the feeling he'd miss out on all the excitement if he were to go back home now and besides, he'd already made his move.

He couldn't back down _now_.

" _Calm myself?_ Calm _myself?! I cannot stand this any longer, Massimo!_ " Lucia Tocceli said heatedly as she and her right hand man and bodyguard hastily came into the room. The bodyguard paused when he spotted Hibari there, but the prefect paid them no mind, even if he was perfectly aware that they were there. He knew that by the time Lucia realized he was here, it would only piss her off all over again even if she did manage to stop acting like such a pathetic herbivore. " _That_ brat _has been here for but three days and Dino has not once taken his eyes off of him if he could help it! What's worse, everyone's acting as if that brat's word is law! Since when do Cavallone's men bend over backwards for anyone other than Haneuma Dino?! Since when is it for a foreign bratty piece of trash?!_ "

" _Signora,_ " the bodyguard said warily and discretely - or so he thought - looked in Hibari's direction, but Hibari just flipped a page of his book, continuing to ignore them. He felt the exact second Lucia Tocceli saw him. Her disgusted, hateful glare felt almost like a physical poke. He ignored it, continuing to read his book. " _Perhaps we should take this conversation elsewhere?_ "

" _And where, exactly, could we talk in private when I'm sure even my private chambers are under constant surveillance?_ " Snapped the future Mrs Cavallone. " _I hate the brat, but there's at least one good he's for and it's keeping people from interrupting us, since everyone stays clear of him. And besides, it's not like he can understand us. He's so proud of his small, pathetic country that I'm still surprised he knows English at all._ "

" _We should still be careful of what we say,_ " the bodyguard tried to say, only to be interrupted by the loud female herbivore trying to play at being a carnivore.

" _I am_ sick and tired _of being second best to a middle school_ boy _! Am I not beautiful enough, Massimo? Do I not garner more interest than a violent, spoiled brat that thinks himself too important to be bothered by anyone else? And where does that bastard Dino get off on ditching me at every word that comes out of the little bug's mouth!? I am the future Tocceli Donna! I am his future_ wife _! Should I not take precedence over his 'pupil'? And why does he dote on the brat so much?! Any of the brats, for that matter! Sure, I can understand the pint-sized Vongola, but what's the point of playing host to the others? Guardians are only attack dogs, after all. And what about the civilians? We can't even be_ ourselves _anymore because we have to mask our words and actions as though there's something to be ashamed of!_ "

Hibari was almost tempted to leave the room because it would seem that the Italian female herbivore was throwing a temper tantrum at her bodyguard and he seemed to be attempting to, futilely, calm her down, but this was the only room in the mansion that was far enough away from everyone else that he wouldn't be bothered by their noise. And besides, there's no way these two can stay here for long. If they try, Hibari will just throw them out or bite them to death if they try resisting.

Hibari Kyoya had always thought of himself as a good judge of a situation or a person's character. Fighting skill was not even worth mentioning, as he needed very little to judge how dangerous an opponent could be, but for someone who was as antisocial as himself - and yes, he was indeed very aware of that and rather proud of it - and tried to stay as far away from people as often as it was possible, he was an amazing judge of character. Bucking Horse and especially the Baby, he will admit, are a bit harder to judge, but not even they can hide all of their tells.

The Baby, he had realized from that first day in the Reception Room, pulled all the strings and loved being in control, mostly because he can cause chaos and then control how it will spread and develop. Hibari had nothing against that, as long as his school and his town didn't suffer permanent damage or one of the students of Nami-chuu wasn't in life threatening danger. The Baby made life interesting and he was a carnivore, despite his 'weak' appearance, just like Fon. The Baby was strong and manipulative but he did care about Sawada Tsunayoshi and the Guardians he had brought into the small animal's life. He also seemed to especially like Yamamoto and Hibari himself. Yamamoto Takeshi, probably because he had a hidden side, darker, sharper, meant for battle if not for lethality despite his usual carefree manner. The ability to separate one's fighting persona and their day-to-day image is definitely a worthy skill to have and an important one in a hitman, something that the Baby would appreciate.

The Baby's interest in Hibari himself was for even more logical, obvious reason. It was rather simple, really. The Baby saw some of himself in him,probably a younger, brasher version that had relied more on strength and skill than analyzing his opponents. The Baby must be bored around the small animal's little herbivore group, what with him being a carnivore himself. He probably longed for someone who understood him, the bloodlust he has to hide in order to blend in with the rest of the world, the lust for a worthy opponent. Kyoya would know. He and Fon were the same. (Though Fon had a rather strong hold on that side of him and it only showed if someone hurt his loved ones.)

In short, the Baby liked Hibari because even with all of his experience, reading Hibari was still a challenge and Hibari himself loved presenting the Baby a new challenge every time their paths crossed. It made life interesting in between the disasters and chaos that followed Sawada Tsunayoshi and his herbivores like a lost puppy.

Bucking Horse, though, he was a different story. He acted very much like a herbivore, about ninety five percent of the time, but he had these moments where Kyoya questioned how it was possible that he was _not_ a carnivore. Being a carnivore wasn't just fighting skills, though Hibari would never label someone weak as a carnivore. No, Dino Cavallone had a dark side to him as well, the side that obviously helped him run a five thousand men in the mafia world. That dark side rarely showed and Hibari honestly mourned that. It was exciting, enticing. He wanted more whenever he saw it. Bucking Horse didn't possess the same lust for battle as Hibari and the Baby did, but he could get in the mood and if he were ever to seek revenge, usually because one of his men had been injured ...

Kyoya shuddered in delight.

He remembered the one and only time Bucking Horse had looked at him with darkness in his eyes, when they had first met and Kyoya had stated his disinterest in the Rings but desire to bite the other to death, when the whip had come out. He seriously wished Bucking Horse would stop playing herbivore and show more of his carnivore side. It was _delicious_.

So, in short, Hibari Kyoya considered himself to be a good judge of character, even when one tries their hardest to hide a part of themselves. It just takes him longer to figure it out, but never is someone fully hidden from him.

" _You must remain calm, my lady, if you wish for the plans to proceed as they should,_ " the bodyguard said in a placating tone, putting his hands heavily on the young woman's shoulders as if to ground her. " _Cavallone is not ignoring you. He's just excited to see his friends from Japan, and though they might be a distasteful group, he is smart to ally himself in advance with the future boss of the Vongola and his Guardians. If they all approve of him, the Cavallone are bound to be best off in the alliance when the new power comes. As for that Hibari Kyoya fellow, you have heard of how fond Cavallone is of him and the boy's fellow Guardians and even his_ Sky _all speak of him as if he were a ticking time bomb. Perhaps it is best for now to just ignore him. Soon enough, this will all be over and done with and you will never have to concern yourself with him ever again._ "

" _Dino is choosing_ him _over_ me _!_ " The woman hissed in her bodyguard's face, slapping his hands away. " _Is he prettier than me or something? Does Dino swing that way? Because we both know the rumors from before! Just half a year ago, it would not have been strange at all for there to be new gossip about a new girl on Cavallone's arm or in his bed! Is the boy some kind of witch or something?_ "

Which is why he was instantly suspicious when he got a _wedding invitation_ from his supposed 'tutor'. Hibari was not, in fact, blind nor was he oblivious. He saw the difference in how he was treated and how Dino treated everyone else. He saw the way Bucking Horse would all but trip over himself to make sure Kyoya does not walk off without him whenever he has the time to visit Japan. He would treat him to expensive lunches and offer to take him to expensive resorts and other fancy places, though Kyoya usually turned him down. He would still appear in the Reception Room at Nami-chuu with some tasty dish or another and would even, at times, bring Kyoya gifts from Italy or wherever he had had business before he could come to Japan.

Hibari didn't exactly understand it, but he knew Bucking Horse saw him differently from everyone else. Whether the man understood him in a way not even the Baby could manage or if it was just because he thought he saw something that wasn't there, he didn't know. He knew perfectly well that he wasn't an easy person, that people were scared of him even when he wasn't trying to be particularly intimidating. Hell, until the Baby came along and somehow got him tangled up with the little animal's group, only his uncle had liked him. Even his own parents had found him unnerving most of the time, though his mother, bless her heart, had done her best for him when she had still been alive. His father had tried but gave up when Kyoya discovered he was strong, could get stronger, stronger than anyone, be they child or adult. By the time his policeman father died in action when he was eight, Kyoya had already been a terror in Namimori. That pathetic herbivore had given up on being a proper father to him when he was about five years old.

So how could Dino go around, gushing to his men about Kyoya? How could he go so much out of his way just to drop by and visit. Even if it was just a two day stay, he'd come to Nami-chuu or scour Namimori until he'd find him. He knows Hibari will only be interested in a fight and yet he'd come again and again anyway. Sometimes he didn't even visit Sawada Tsunayoshi, if his stay was only for one night, and would instead badger Kyoya into allowing the blond to treat him to delicious foods and simple strolls through the town Kyoya loved so much.

Bucking Horse thought him special, not like everyone else for his strength - though Dino had never held back his admiration for Kyoya's skill and quick progress, just as he did not hesitate to throw in advice here and there when he thought he found something that needed to be fixed in his form - but for simply being _Hibari Kyoya_ , a person like anyone else. He liked him that way, for some reason, violent and battle-obsessed and cold and antisocial.

He _liked_ him.

The wedding, the invitation, it made no sense. Yes, Bucking Horse was a mafia boss of a big and important family and he needed to make strong connections with other famiglia. Hibari understood that. His own family, just a few generations ago, had been a big clan with similar policies and mindsets. But Dino Cavallone had never struck him as someone who would marry for convenience. His men never struck him as the type to allow their beloved boss to not marry for love. Kyoya had been around them enough to know they would accept an adopted child as an heir rather than have their boss be even marginally unhappy.

Kyoya wasn't sure why Bucking Horse seemed to always light up around him, but he was sure he couldn't really make the annoying blond happy.

What he was absolutely sure of, however, was that Lucia Tocceli definitely couldn't make Dino happy.

A single glance at her at the airport had told him that much, even before she extended 'a hand of friendship'. She was too fake. Everything about her was too fake. Yes, she might be what people considered a natural beauty - Hibari wouldn't really know; all he's ever considered beautiful was strength and freedom - but there was a mask in place, not meant to conceal like Fon's, a chameleon trying to fit in, to not draw attention to a part of himself he accepted but disliked, but rather to deceive, much like how Rokudo Mukuro deceives, with malicious intent, like a poisonous animal or plant, flaunting its pretty colors, making unsuspecting victims come closer until it is too late. There was a coldness to her that Hibari had not detected even in that Monkey King and his lackeys or even Rokudo Mukuro.

It sent chills down his spine, the thrill of the hunt exciting him.

It would seem he had found an interesting prey, a challenger, trying to play at being a carnivore when she was nothing but a fake herbivore.

He'll have to show her to her place if she becomes troublesome.

Bucking Horse already suspected her of something on his own. Sawada Tsunayoshi, too, seemed at times rather wary of her. The Baby was rather clear in his opinion of her. Yet Cavallone made no move to remove her from their boss' side, which meant Bucking Horse was playing a game. It made Hibari wonder if he had been called to join in or if Cavallone was trying to use him. He honestly didn't care either way, because no one can use him unless he allows it. As long as he gets to bite someone to death, preferably a strong opponent or at least a large number of mediocre ones, he's more than happy to play along. Or he will be at least until he figures out the game, what's going on.

Then, he'll be taking control.

" _It may be his young age and exotic origins, boss_ ," the bodyguard was saying to Lucia Tocceli. " _It may be simple sexual curiosity. Most people go through that stage in his years. And it may be just the thrill of the chase, the challenge. The young man seems indomitable, after all. People like Cavallone are not used to being turned down. It will pass, one way or another. True beauty, though, won't, and Cavallone will realize how lucky he is to have you when he sees you in your wedding gown. He won't be able to think about anyone or anything else but you. And that will be his downfall._ "

The air was stiff, heavy, malice rich in the air. Killing intent, he realized easily, recognizing the weight on his shoulders, the way it made his blood race, his whole body preparing for a good fight. Except he knew he would find no fight here. These two herbivores were content to hide their intentions behind flowing, accented words, bold enough to speak of murder plots in Don Cavallone's own house.

Hibari closed his book nonchalantly, stood up, straightened out his clothes even though they were immaculate and calmly walked past the two Italian herbivores without ever glancing at them. He could feel the killing intent grow, becoming thicker with anger and bloodlust that nearly triggered his own, but people were wrong to assume that he did not have a solid hold on his impulse to just jump into a fight. He may like fighting, but he knew when the time was right and when wasn't. He usually just didn't care, but this ...

This was a _delicate_ matter. This was a game. A game he'd been playing for three days without knowing the rules, playing by ear and instinct without making it obvious that he was playing at all.

" _I want him gone, Massimo,_ " Lucia Tocceli hissed coldly to her bodyguard and right-hand man. " _I want him gone before the bachelor's night is over. Send him to_ him _, he needs more experiment subjects, or just kill him, dispose of him, make him disappear. I don't care for the method. I. Want. Him._ Gone _._ "

" _It will be done, Donna,_ " the bodyguard, one Massimo, replied in a solemn tone of voice that Kyoya ignored.

It would seem that the real game was just about to start.

He needed to prepare.

00000

Halfway through dinner, Romario received a call from the guards on gate duty. The man on the other line sounded flummoxed, confused and utterly uncertain.

"Sir, I don't know how to say this ... "

"Whatever it is, say it plainly," the right-hand man of Don Cavallone replied, drawing the attention of everyone in the dining room. Appetites were large this night, the stress of the morning and the strainful activities of the afternoon finally having caught up with everyone. Even Lambo and I-Pin were sleepy and not even Sasagawa Ryohei was as energetic as usual, focused more on eating the delicious food than making EXTREME comments about every other thing that caught his attention.

His Boss looked up from where he was feeding Enzio and Hibird pieces of lettuce and bird seeds respectively, hazel eyes narrowed in worry and suspicion. Ms Tocceli also looked up, curious and wary. Reborn and Sawada Iemitsu had a sharp look in their eyes and everyone else was just confused and curious.

They don't, after all, have any idea that their host was most likely being targeted by his own 'fiancee'.

Hibari Kyoya just continued eating, ignoring everything and everyone, like he always does.

"Well, sir ... That is to say ... " The poor guard took an exasperated breath and finally breathed out the source of his hesitation and confusion. "Sir, there's a bunch of teenagers at the gates."

Romario frowned, flabbergasted himself despite his best efforts. "Teenagers?"

Everyone looked even more curious and confused at this point.

Hibari Kyoya stopped eating, putting away his chopsticks and dabbing politely at his mouth.

"Yeah. They're really weird, sir, and kind of intimidating for a bunch of kids," the man continued. "Um, they all speak Japanese but know English. They say they're a part of some strange group. One moment," the man said, probably to ask for an explanation about the group.

"Romario, what's going on?" Dino asked and the second in command relayed what the guard on duty had told him.

Hibari Kyoya stood up without another word, his black gakuran billowing behind him, the red and gold armband particularly eye catching.

"Eh? Kyoya, what-? Where are you going all of a sudden?" The Boss called out after his student, standing up to follow. The other teenagers exchanged looks with each other and followed suit, but before anyone could leave the table, the guard spoke up again and Romario felt floored.

"Ah, sir, they say that they're the Disciplinary Committee and that their Chairman is expecting them. I don't really understand, but should I let them in?"

"Disciplinary Committee?" Romario whispered, shocked, more to himself than anything, but those close enough heard him and the rest could just make out the words on his lips. Vongola Juudaime's group's eyes all widened. Boss himself looked ready to keel over in shock.

"EEEEH!?"


	8. Chapter 8

Dino had to rub his eyes a few times when he made it to the foyer, Tsuna's group trailing after him like ducklings. Each and every single one just as shocked as he was.

There, in their usual black uniforms and immaculate pompadours, standing in a perfect line like soldiers before their general, were the members of the Namimori Middle School Disciplinary Committee, their red armbands proudly displayed. Kusakabe Tetsuya stood in front of the other members, bowing to his Chairman in respect, Hibari Kyoya gazing at his personal army with approval.

Dino could not believe it. " _How_?" He barely whispered.

Kusakabe glanced at his Chairman and when the shorted teen showed no signs of answering or minding the question being answered by someone else, nodded to Cavallone before replying. "Oikawa's father, older brother and uncle are air force and navy officers of high rank. They are eternally grateful to the Chairman, so whenever he calls on them, or on us but we need assistance, they do not hesitate to pull strings. That is to say, we the Disciplinary Committee received a call from the Chairman and we would not disappoint. We boarded military jets and flew here as soon as we could manage. I am glad we have managed to make your time limit, Chairman." The last was said to Hibari, who merely nodded, like he had not asked the impossible and like his subordinates had not just managed it.

"You have connections in the military!?" Blurted out Gokudera, staring with a bit of fear at the delinquents posing as the Disciplinary Committee that practically ran Namimori, under the strict rule of iron tonfa of their leader.

"Set up on the second floor in the east wing. There should be several empty rooms there. I'm sure one of Bucking Horse's men won't mind directing you there. Don't disturb the discipline or I will bite you to death." With that, Hibari turned around and walked to the grand staircase, climbed it and disappeared from sight, probably to go to his room for a nap.

Dino wondered if he should chase after the prefect, ask whether the Disciplinary Committee members were hungry or needed help setting up ... whatever it is that Kyoya wanted set up, but the pompadours were already moving to follow their Chairman's orders like the loyal little army that they were.

Forgetting about dinner altogether, the Namimori teenagers, the World's Greatest Hitman and one Cavallone boss with Romario in tow followed after them.

Kusakabe, at least, answered Gokudera's question. "The Disciplinary Committee wasn't always the Disciplinary Committee. Once, several years ago, we were just a random teenage gang on the streets just like every other group of delinquents. We all come from various backgrounds, but most of our families are either well off or really poor. Those who are well off are usually from families where everyone is too busy to bother with their children beyond throwing money at us to make sure we can buy what we need to survive. Those who are less so were abused by parents or had other family issues, like drunks or druggies or gambling addicts. No one cared for us, so we had to care for ourselves. We were angry and lost and we liked to fight. We somehow found each other, one by one, learned we're not all that different and decided we'd protect each other if no one else will protect us. So we formed a group, but the local gangs thought we were a new gang out for their territory, too, so they'd fight us. We could handle the small-fry, so we managed to get a bit of territory for ourselves."

"We were kids," one of the other Disciplinary Committee members grumbled, sounding annoyed. "We were kids and nothing more, but older gangs would come at us as though we were the same age. They'd bring bats and wooden swords and pipes and come at us, thirsting for blood. We were just kids and yet one gang brought knives and brass knuckles and who knows what else. We nearly all ended up in the hospital. It's still a miracle we haven't been permanently maimed that day."

"Then, one day, a kid appeared," Okiawa spoke up, sounding almost nostalgic. "We were just walking down the street, as we usually did, when a kid stepped in front of us and said we're _crowding_ , that we're disrupting the discipline. He couldn't have been older than ten. We were idiots back then. We tried to pick on him, thinking him an easy target. We got bitten to death rather viciously." The other members all chuckled even as they entered the largest room on the floor and in the wing that Hibari had instructed them to go to, immediately setting down duffel bags no one had even noticed them carrying.

"Our previous lifestyle continued, though we kept a wary eye out for the kid," another of the DC members spoke up. Moriyama was his name. He was one of the strongest fighters in Namimori Middle School. "More gangs came after us, but none of them could possibly stand up to that _little kid_ and his vicious tonfa. But they kept coming and we kept fighting."

"We fought off as many gangs as we could but, one day, we caught the interest of the local yakuza," Kusakabe picked up again as the other DC members wordlessly and without need of more than a nod as a command started setting everything up, whatever it was. "The oyabun himself graced us with his presence." It should be impossible to put so much spite into a single sentence. The other members sneered. "They brought eighty men. All of them had chains, poles, swords, knives, bats and who knows what else. The oyabun laughed as his men beat us up. And when we thought it was all over, the kid appeared again."

"'For disrupting the discipline of Namimori'," the whole Disciplinary Committee quoted, almost fondly and most definitely viciously. "'I will bite you to death'."

"Hibari-san saved you?" Tsuna asked, sounding awed and quite shocked by the story.

"Is that why you guys follow him even if he's as violent towards you as he is towards anyone else?" Yamamoto questioned as well, a new light of understanding in his eyes.

"Of course," the second in command replied easily. "The Chairman didn't like it when we pledged our loyalty to him, beat us up for crowding, but we wore the wounds with pride and we did not relent. We simply learned his boundaries, one by one, and he realized we would follow him whether he wanted it or not. Instead of pushing us away, though, the Chairman was gracious enough to give us a purpose. He formed the Disciplinary Committee, told us Namimori was _his_ to protect and we were _his_ to command. Nami-chuu is to be our base and any disrespect of discipline was to be punished. The Chairman cleaned up Namimori from all gangs and any yakuza presence within the year and we followed every step, every order with pride."

"That doesn't explain why some military personnel would want to give a kid control over their resources," Gokuder pointed out, frowning.

"Didn't we already say?" Oikawa asked, sounding exasperated at having to repeat the same information. "We all come from different but similar backgrounds. Our parents didn't have the time for us but that didn't mean most of them didn't give a shit about what happened to their kid."

"When we stopped coming home with cuts and bruises or bloody clothes, they were relieved!" One of the members who had been quiet this whole time spoke up. "When they heard about the Chairman, they immediately tried to contact him, but the Chairman didn't want to be crowded by them and refused to meet them."

"That didn't mean our folks forgot or brushed it off," Moriyama continued, sounding almost cheerful. "Instead they said, should the Chairman ever need anything from them, we should tell them and they'd provide it."

"Most of our families were just glad that we won't be getting beat up anymore," Kusakabe said. "And since we come from all sorts of backgrounds, we had a lot to offer to our Chairman. Military, police, medical workers, scientists; Moriyama's father is an influential politician in Tokyo. Yokomine's mother is a broker on Wall Street so she helps with finances, if we ever need it. My aunt is a judge and my mother is a lawyer."

"My grandfather has a mining company." Another of the pompadour teens said.

"And my cousin runs the best blacksmith shop this side of Asia!"

"My sister works in Interpol."

"My old man teaches computer science and taught me hacking."

"I'm not sure if I should even be surprised," Tsuna muttered to everyone as all the members listed off what their relatives did and how they all offered their services to their Chairman. "This _is_ Hibari-san we're talking about. No wonder the whole of Namimori is his."

"So, with a single phone call, you guys all came here right away?" Reborn asked, sounding impressed.

Kusakabe Tetsuya shook his head. "Of course not. We left a few members back in Namimori to protect the peace and uphold the discipline. Nami-chuu and Namimori is our first priority. The Chairman would have punished us if we had carelessly all arrived here, even if it was at his call."

Reborn actually threw his hands up, seemingly giving up. "Why? _Why_ couldn't Hibari have been born as a mafia heir? I would have thrown my lot in with him!" The Sun Arcobaleno stalked off, muttering about no-good and wimpy students, which made Tsuna and Dino sweatdrop but they couldn't exactly complain. Kusakabe, at that point, had stopped paying attention to the others and had went back to supervising the progress of the DC members, giving instruction here or there. Dino couldn't help but be a bit impressed at how efficiently the teenagers were working. He knew Kyoya ran a tight ship, but this was bordering on military.

"What are you guys even setting up?" Yamamoto asked curiously, studying the way the room's furniture was being shifted and rearranged, things were being taken out and put in specific spots or the things that got in the way were being taken out carefully so as not to damage or break them. The owner of the mansion didn't even mind that they were taking such liberties. He was more attached to his life than that, thank you, because these guys were operating under Kyoya's direct order and the prefect could be quite vicious for far lesser things.

Yamamoto did not get an answer for another two hours, at which point everyone had went back to finish their dinner and, curious, had wandered back to the room the DC had chosen to see what the final result was, only to see Kusakabe step out, chest puffed up with satisfaction as he marched over to Hibari's room. With two polite knocks, he called out. "Chairman, the base of operations is ready for your inspection. We need your final verdict before we can finish the final preparations."

Hibari stepped out nearly two whole minutes later, looking sleepy but not annoyed, so Kusakabe had probably not woken him up, which was good as no one needed Hibari on a rampage because his nap was interrupted. Kusakabe fell into step behind his Chairman as the head prefect confidently walked into his new 'base of operations'. The others all wanted to ask but valued their lives too much to risk it.

The inspection was swift and to the point and Hibari showed his approval by a single nod of his head that had the DC all puffing up with pleasure and pride at having done a good job in such a short time. Dino and Romario had to wonder how they should get their men to be this efficient as these youngsters, but they guessed that the sparse praise that Kyoya would give was more valuable than just about any treasure in the world if you are truly only seeking his approval, to stay by his side. Even with the little insight into how the Disciplinary Committee came to be, it was still hard to imagine Hibari's way of running things being effective for just about anyone else except Hibari himself. Dino had the love and loyalty of his men because he returned it tenfold, because he's ready to risk his life for any member of his family. Tsuna, too, had that kind of relationship with his small, slowly growing family.

Hibari, though, had love from his subordinates because they had to earn the right to even stand by his side, let alone earn his protection, his devotion. Hibari trusted them and that seemed to be enough to keep them by his side, no matter what. The depth of their devotion was really startling for a bunch of middle school students.

"Here are your further orders," Kyoya said as he handed Kusakabe a piece of paper, no doubt containing his neat handwriting. "Distribute the tasks accordingly and get it done by the deadline I set. It's a delicate matter. If you are late, I will bite you to death."

"Of course, Chairman!" The whole of the Disciplinary Committee chorused, bowing as the Cloud left. Kusakabe waited for a few moments after Hibari was out of the room and when it was clear that the spectators would not leave, he cleared his throat, gaining their attention. The change in his attitude and body language made it obvious why it was _him_ who was appointed as Vice-Chairman and Hibari Kyoya's loyal, dedicated second in command.

"This is strictly Disciplinary Committee business. Please leave. If the Chairman has not said his orders out lut, it means you are not meant to hear them."

"Now wait just a minute!" Lucia, who had at some point followed after them to see just what the hell was going on, snapped, pushing through the Nami-chuu students so she could point a well manicured finger at Kusakabe's unimpressed face. "Just who do you think you are, barging into a Don's home, running around like you own the place and then telling us that it's none of our business?"

"We are the Disciplinary Committee," the pompadour teen replied easily, as if that answered all the questions, as if it was obvious what it implied. In a way, it usually _was_ more than enough of an answer. The Disciplinary Committee may be based in Namimori Middle School, but all of Namimori knew who they are, all of Namimori knew that their word was law, that their _Chairman's_ word was _law_. You don't create trouble in Namimori lightheartedly.

"Is that supposed to mean something to me?" The Tocceli asked with a sneer.

"We don't care for your opinion, ma'am," Kusakabe said in turn. "We only care about what the Chairman says. We were given orders. The Disciplinary Committee will be carrying out these orders. What the rest of the world thinks matters to us just about as much as what a singular ant did today in some random patch of the Amazon rain forest. You included, ma'am."

" _Burn_ ," a young but powerful female voice said, followed by an impressed whistle. They all turned around to see Reborn has returned, this time in the company of a little girl with blue hair, a poncho, some kind of tattoo or mark on her face and impressive, high tech goggles pushed up onto the top of her head. They looked around and the girl let out another impressed whistle. "Okay, no wonder he can keep track of me no matter where I hide, if he has things _this_ much under control. You sure he's just a teenager? No, never mind his age, do you think he'd like to join CEDEF? We need more competent people, preferably someone who can ground Iemitsu enough that he doesn't fly off into dreamland at the mere mention of a tuna fish."

"He's Tsuna's Cloud Guardian, Lal. We're not giving him up."

"Shame," the female infant says with a shake of her head. She glares when she notices how everyone is staring at her. "Oi, what do you want? Want me to kick your ass? Shape up!" The stern snap of her voice made them all stand a bit straighter, as though in front of an army general. She was a bit scary like that.

"Reborn," Tsuna asked hesitantly, eyeing the corrupted, gray, broken looking pacifier that hung around the girl's neck. "Who is this? Is she another Arcobaleno? Or ... "

"Everyone, this is Lal Mirch," the hitman introduced, gesturing to his companion. "She's one of Iemitsu's best agents and, indeed, she's a corrupted or incomplete Arcobaleno. Lal, this is Dame-Tsuna and his Storm, Rain and Sun Guardians, as well as his classmate Sasagawa Kyoko and his friend Miura Haru. Chrome Dokuro, Tsuna's Mist Guardian, and Hibari Kyoya, his Cloud Guardian, are not currently here and theLightning Guardian, Lambo, well it's past his bedtime now."

"They're all so ... _mediocre_ , though that Chrome girl shows promise and I won't even say anything about the teen Fon. He requires no words," Lal Mirch said, her pinkish eyes scanning them all for a moment before turning back to Reborn. "And the regent guys?"

"Hibari's Disciplinary Committee," Rebron easily said, not going into any further detail. Lal still nodded. "And don't brush the Guardians off just because they're young and inexperienced. They have a lot to learn but they do have the world's best tutor on their side to teach them. Besides, Ryohei was trained by Colonello for the Ring Matches-"

"Colonello!?" With great surprise, they all watched as Lal's cheeks flushed a little. "But doesn't he work in Mafia Land?"

"I asked him to train him. Colonello seemed rather pleased with him."

"You know Colonello-shishou?" The boxing enthusiast asked curiously, eyeing the little female.

Before Lal could answer, though, Kusakabe cleared his throat again. "If you wouldn't mind taking this conversation elsewhere, we have work to do." He gestured at the tense DC members behind himself, ready to fight if they had to so they can get to said work. For some reason, two of the members were even reaching out for chainsaws they seem to have pulled out of literally nowhere. "The Chairman will be displeased if his orders are not carried out in a timely fashion." That was directed at Dino and the Cavallone blenched.

"Yeah, right, sure. Come on, everyone. We should leave them to it."

"But Dino-!" Lucia went to protest, but the blond paid her no mind, literally pushing her and everyone else out of the room.

"No buts about it. A displeased Kyoya is a scary Kyoya and I don't want any more bruises! Especially not when he gets vicious because he's vexed! It's easy for you lot to make trouble. _I_ , on the other hand, have to eventually calm him down with spars."

"At least you stand a chance of surviving those spars, Dino-san!" Tsuna protested Dino's claim that they had it easy. "If Hibari-san were to go at us even half as seriously as he does with you, we'd be dead!"

"Don't you worry, Juudaime! I can take care of that tonfa freak for you!" Gokudera exclaimed confident and as eager to please his boss as ever, but Bianchi passed them by at that moment, for once not wearing any sunglasses or goggles to cover a part of her face, and Gokudera promptly doubled over as his stomach started protesting in long-remembered childhood trauma.

"Hahaha! I may like Hibari, but that's only as an ally! I'd rather not get a tonfa to the head!"

"Yosh! Let's go challenge Hibari to an extreme match!"

"No, don't do that, onii-san!"

"It would be a good bonding exercise, Dame-Tsuna," Reborn said casually, enjoying how Yamamoto and Tsuna flinched at the suggestion while Ryohei only got even more fired up. "It's decided, then. Tsuna and all of his Guardians against Hibari in a free for all match as a bonding and trust exercise. Dino can supervise."

"Eh!? Why me!?" The blond Don in question asked, horrified at the very idea of having to get in between a fighting Kyoya and whoever his poor, unfortunate victims it may be, even if it's his 'little bro'.

"Because I said so," the World's Greatest Hitman said matter of factly and unapologetically, knowing full well just how such a training session would end and already looking forward to the chaos.

More than one person had nightmares that night about said training session.

The DC were just happy to start fulfilling their Chairman's orders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what do you think bout my origins story of the DC?


	9. Chapter 9

Thankfully, when Hibari was proposed with Reborn's idea, the prefect grimaced and firmly denied. "I have no time to waste on weak herbivores who crowd together. But if it's you asking, Baby, I'll gladly take a raincheck for another time." And while everyone deflated with relief that they wouldn't have to be bitten to death that day, most of them still cringed at the thought of the raincheck. Tsuna and Dino even cried silent tears, anime style, because they knew Reborn will be remembering that raincheck and then they would be doomed.

The fourth day of their visit to Italy, two days before the big wedding, was surprisingly peaceful. Dino had a lot of work to do, so he couldn't play tour guide or host to his guests, but Lucia was happy to take the girls and younger kids out shopping. Chrome tried to protest that she would rather not go but the Tocceli dragged her out, ignoring her polite struggling. As they watched them go, the other Guardians wondered if it would be okay to leave Chrome with the girls but figured the girls would be safe with Chrome and I-Pin as protection.

Besides, they all sighed in relief over I-Pin, for once, not being around Hibari all day today. They were getting kind of tired of constantly throwing the Chinese girl out of windows every time she so much as glimpsed the prefect around the mansion.

The Disciplinary Committee mostly kept to the room Hibari had directed them to, coming out only if they had a question for someone or to go to the bathroom. They mostly saw Kusakabe out and about, reporting to Hibari or seeking out Romario to ask about something that was supposedly connected to whatever project Hibari had given them or going to the kitchen staff to ask for meals for his fellow DC members.

Hibari himself could be spotted napping in the shade of a tree in one of the three gardens surrounding the mansion. Dino was having a hard time concentrating on his work when his second-story office looked out directly at where the prefect had chosen to claim as the perfect napping spot, but he did his best because he needed to clear up his time for that night, as Lucia insisted they go clubbing. It worried him that neither Iemitsu nor Reborn would be there, because Lucia had convinced Nana that Iemitsu should take her out on a date and Bianchi had overheard, therefore somehow managed to convince Reborn they should go to one as well. He had a feeling something bad would be happening that night and he didn't like it.

Reborn had taken Tsuna and the others to the other side of the spacious grounds surrounding the Cavallone Mansion so that he could train them without disturbing Hibari. While it would be great to asses just how well they worked together or how trusting the Guardians were of each other through a spar, he knew an irate Hibari would pummel them to the ground mercilessly and he didn't need to worry about them additionally during tonight's outing as he was already going to. None of them knew the plot going on in the shadows, the plan to reveal and stop it or how dangerous it all was. They were going in blind and with Lal only sneaking around instead of helping firsthand unless it was absolutely necessary, they could get into some serious trouble without getting any warning.

Iemitsu was on cloud nine at the idea of going out on a date with his beloved Nana, having completely forgotten in the span of a few seconds just why he was there in the first place. Lal threw him disgusted glances while trying to figure out how she would keep an eye on everyone in the crowded, dark club.

Tsuna wasn't so keen as to go clubbing. He was a minor, first of all, and a relatively quiet kid, so clubbing wouldn't be his favorite activity anyway, but Gokudera was, surprisingly, excited, Yamamoto and Ryohei always got easily excited about new experiences and the girls, except Chrome, were eager to see Italy's nightlife. The fact that no one questioned why a bunch of middle schoolers would be going to a club in a foreign country didn't even surprise him anymore. It was the mafia and they weren't exactly known for keeping to the right side of the law, after all.

Lucia was eagerly awaiting that evening. Her subordinates had a few plans in place, as well as a couple of backup plans, to finally rid her of that meddlesome brat, Hibari Kyoya, so that the Plan could go along smoothly without her having to worry if the kid will decide on a whim that he was bored during the wedding ceremony and have Dino chase after him, as seemed to be the norm in their fucked up relationship, whatever it might be. Lucia didn't care anymore. She decided to swallow her pride and just soldier on until the Plan was successfully carried out. It was not about her. It was about the good of her famiglia. Besides, she'd get her revenge tenfold soon enough.

Kusakabe Tetsuya was a bit frazzled as he realized that the simple orders his Chairman had given the Disciplinary Committee were rather more time-consuming and not all that they seemed at first glance. There were a few complications that had to be planned for and a contingency here and there had to be put in place for the maximum success rate, but the DC was used to doing whatever their Chairman ordered them to. There was more hacking involved in this operation than in their usual ones, but information was the key to everything and the Chairman needed proof before he can checkmate his opponent. The DC were the ones meant to get that proof. They will not fail their Chairman, they won't disappoint him. For them, that would be a fate worse than death.

Hibari himself was thinking, not napping, as he would have the rest believe. He needed the peace and quiet and as much time alone as he could buy, so pretending to nap it was. Tonight's activities had him almost buzzing with anticipation, because he knew a move was being made and this time, it will be against him, not Bucking Horse. It will finally announce his entrance into the game, official yet hidden. They were giving him an invitation without even realizing it. One does not attack the Storm Arcobaleno's nephew without facing the consequences. One does not attack _Hibari Kyoya_ without being bitten to death. To target him is foolishness. He will deal with the impertinent fools before the word could ever reach his needlessly overprotective uncle, but he _will_ need his connection to the Triads or maybe even Sawda Tsunayoshi's connection to the Vongola to get away with potentially destroying an entire famiglia.

Hibari has had to expand his view of the world beyond Namimori ever since that day the Baby blocked his attack in the Reception Room. It did not take long for his connections to find him the required information and for him to realize what was going on. He didn't care, as he had believed it had nothing to do with him unless it disrupted the peace of his town, of his school, but when a strange half-ring and an even stranger 'home tutor' arrived at his doorstep, Hibari knew he would being drawn into a world he would either hate or love.

He decided he absolutely loved it, because it meant there were a lot of potentially strong people to fight. Maybe not as strong as Bucking Horse or Monkey King or the Baby, but close enough to satisfy him. Close enough for him to accept to fight on Sawada Tsunayoshi's side. Besides, the little animal tended to draw trouble to himself like a magnet. It made things interesting.

The only downside was the connection to the Vongola, but now it turns out that it might just be of some use to him, if the Vindice try to come after him. He doesn't know much about them, but he knows enough that he shouldn't draw their attention to himself at all.

Besides, it's not as if he will be doing anything against the mafia 'laws'. After all, it only makes sense for allies to help each other and Vongola and Cavallone are allies.

The Vongola Cloud Guardian would be expected to help Bucking Horse, the Cavallone Don, if the Guardian in question were to learn he might be targeted. The Cloud protects the family, unbound and from his own individual point of view. Vongola will definitely suffer for losing such a strong ally.

Destroying the enemy would not be a crime according to the mafia 'laws'.

The prefect smirked to himself, making Hibird chant 'Bite you to death!' as the bird took off for a little flight around the gardens before it will return to its master's side, like always.

_'This will be fun.'_

00000

The club was loud, crowded, stifling with heat even with the ACs working at max power and the air was heavy with smoke, sweat, tobacco - cheap and expensive - perfume and dry ice, the smell of alcohol stronger here or there if someone had been drunk or careless enough to spill it. The dance floor was packed, most of the tables on the side were full and the huge bar on the far end of the club was so crowded and overworked that Dino and Tsuna instantly pitied the bartenders.

People were dressed according to the latest fashions of Italy and the Mediterranean, though that ranged from hoodies and dress shirt and suits to skimpy dresses with sneakers, jeans with fancy heels and gaudy jewelry. Sometimes too much skin was exposed, other times people looked like this might be trying to not show a single inch of skin. Some people even had sunglasses on, for crying out loud, despite the club being quite dark even with the flashing lights moving around the spacious area.

It was a mafioso club, so it was not surprising to see bodyguards all around or some person being beat up here or there. Dino did his best to steer the civilian girls as far away from a beating to death scene that no one else batted an eyelash at and he definitely picked a table as far away from the drug den and the 'private rooms' section of the club so no one would dare approach the youngsters selling their 'wares' and 'merchandise'. They were miners and Flame Aware at that, Flame Active in Tsuna's case. Drugs don't mix well with Flames and as for the ... 'hostesses', well, they were just too young - and too explosive in Gokudera's case, figuratively and quite literally - for that.

The blond also made sure to wave down one of the rare few waiters that actually circulated the club, giving him a large tip as he ordered only nonalcoholic beverages for their table and some finger sandwiches or whatever other snacks the man could bring them. That should stop them from going to the bar, where they could easily be taken advantage of.

"You're being overprotective!" Lucia yells into his ear to be heard over the loud music in the club and Dino grimaces both from her proximity and the volume of her voice. Also, he perfume was just too strong for his nose. He suspected he might be even allergic to it.

"They're kids."

"They're _fine_ ," she counters with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Come on! This is supposed to be _fun_! Let them enjoy themselves!"

"I'm actually making sure that they can do that safely," he replies and shrugs her off when Tsuna calls him over, looking a bit worried and utterly perplexed.

"Um, Dino-san, I just saw Hibari-san walk out onto the dance floor but I lost him in the crowd when I tried to follow him." Dino blenches and pales. Tsuna gives him an understanding, sympathetic look, but it's still mostly weighed down by worry. For the poor, unsuspecting patrons of the club, that is. "Should we be worried?"

"It's Kyoya," he replies as if that says it all, and it does if you know the prefect. It's useless to try and stop him, just as useless as worrying about his safety and well-being. He can more than handle himself in a tough situation.

"Then should we do something?"

Dino inwardly snorted. It sounded half hysterical. _'Like what? Sacrifice ourselves to save a bunch of drunks and druggies and probably a few sluts and pimps from being bitten to death? Yeah, as long as it's not my men, I don't think so.'_ He wasn't _suicidal_ , thank you very much. "I think it's best if we let him be, actually, because it's not at all strange for fights to break out in clubs and Kyoya can take care of himself just fine. I'll keep an eye out for him, though."

Tsuna nodded, but didn't seem convinced. Still, he let it go when Kyoko and Haru arrived to drag him and Chrome out to the dance floor - thankfully only on the edges and not in the mass of writhing, sweaty and grinding bodies - and, predictably, Gokudera followed his Juudaime, Ryohei followed his sister and that left Yamamoto following so as not to be left out.

"See? They're _fine_!" Lucia reappeared at his side, clinging to his arm.

"I wouldn't say that," he mused darkly to himself, eyes scanning the crowd for Kyoya. It was as if the prefect had disappeared. He should seriously stick out quite a bit, as he had come in his school uniform with, of course, his red armband. He'd forgone tie and sweater or gakuran, but he still had the shoes and the white shirt, all neat and tidy. He half wondered if it was school pride or simply that Kyoya didn't bother with casual clothes. Dino had never seen him in anything but his uniform. Or, well, the yukata or kimonos the traditional inns and onsens had to offer guests on their 'on the road' training trip. He seemed awfully comfortable in those.

"They're kids. What kind of trouble could they possibly get into?"

He tried not to list all the possible ways, because it ranged from Ryohei declaring a boxing match with a mafioso to Gokudera blowing the place up and that's not even mentioning the chaos Kyoya on his own can cause.

"Come on! Let's go _dance_! That way, we can learn each other's rhythm for our first dance!"

Dino allowed himself to be lead onto the dance floor, mostly because this gave him a better chance to find Hibari. He trusted Romario and Ivan to keep an eye on the kids at the edges, but Kyoya was somewhere in the mass of people and it could be equally as dangerous in there for him as it was for everyone else.

The prefect was not on his own stomping grounds, after all.

_'Please be safe, Kyoya.'_

00000

The Japanese teen in question was not exactly safe, but he _was_ having fun.

It had taken barely three minutes of being within the mass of herbivores moving on the dance floor before his first partner appeared to demand a 'dance' and Hibari taught him not to be so impatient as to assume. More arrived soon after, much to his delight, and his tonfa sang a beautiful tune as it cracked bones left and right. He absolutely loved this club, because bouncers would just comb through the crowd and pick up any bodies laying around as if it was expected and nothing new, making sure no one trips on the little piles Hibari left in his wake. And the people didn't even scream! Or complain! Well, sure, that one guy complained when his short got some blood on it and a woman had glared at him when one of his victims nearly toppled her in his fall, but no one so much as batted an eyelash at a teenager casually taking down men twice his age, size and weight.

Clearly Italy was more used to his brand of 'fun' than Japan. The yakuza had learned early on to avoid him at all costs and Fon refused to take him to China because the Triads had 'far too many men for you to fight by yourself, Kyoya', which kind of annoyed him, but it would seem that he can always visit Bucking Horse if he ever gets bored. And if Sawada Tsunayoshi was truly going to inherit the Vongola, then perhaps it wouldn't be so bad to be his Cloud Guardian. The little animal attracted enough trouble as it was. Surely as Don Vongola he will have even more dangerous individuals coming after him, which meant his Guardians would have to fight with or for him.

Hibari wouldn't mind protecting the little animal if it means he gets to fight a lot of people all the time.

The mafia world sure did sound like an interesting game, and not in the sense Yamamoto Takeshi seems to take it. Oh, no. The mafia would be but a toy in Hibari's hands, mere prey to hunt, perhaps a few predators here and there to offer a challenge. How exciting.

He looked up when a new man appeared before him, holding what looked like a lasso rope, in full cowboy gear to boot. The man didn't look all that promising, but something was rather interesting about this one. What truly caught Hibari's eye was that the lasso seemed to be on fire. It was a bright yellow in color and seemed to almost be sparkling with pixie dust or something equally as needlessly ridiculous and herbivorous. The man also had a ring on the pointer finger of his left hand, lit with the same fire. Flames, he corrected himself. The Baby had called them Dying Will Flames, a ridiculous name for a rather dangerous concept. Flames the likes of which Fon, the little animal, Monkey King and pineapplehead used, though not the same color. Fon had red, the little animal and Monkey King had different shades or orange and Rokudo Mukuro had indigo.

"You're done for, lad," the cowboy man said with a vicious, confident smirk on his face.

Kyoya brought his tonfa up and prepared.

The yellow Flames, he discovered throughout the course of their short fight, allowed the lasso to come at him with greater speed than an ordinary toss. The brighter the Flames burned and the bigger they got on the ring or the rope, the more effective this strange use of the Flames was. It also made the rope stronger, preventing the Cloud from simply cutting the lasso with the hidden blade at the top end of his tonfa. However, the lasso did not possess the control a whip would while still having the relative range and the cowboy herbivore did not possess Bucking Horse's skill, so Hibari could easily break his guard and come in up close and personal.

He did not spare that herbivore, though he did bend down to take the ring. It was simple enough, an ordinary metal band with a stone to match the color of the Flame. He had a feeling it would be useless to him, but it might prove to be valuable for something else, so he pocketed it and looked around for any more opponents.

Just in time to bring up his tonfa to block a bullet sailing towards his head. It was buzzing with green electricity-like energy that he also quickly discovered might be Dying Will Flames, but what concerned him - or rather, what pissed him off - was that the bullet actually left a dent in his tonfa. That should not happen. A scratch was one thing, but a dent like the one left on the metal surface? It should be next to impossible. His tonfa were custom made for him and his bizarre fighting style - compared to all other styles involving tonfa, at least - and they had a density, flexibility and hardness to them that it would take an incredible amount of force to seriously damage them, let alone like this.

Or something extremely hard to hit them with the usual force of a bullet.

So yellow increases speed - or perhaps just activity? - while green hardens things. If he remembers correctly, indigo makes illusions but he's not clear on what orange does. It doesn't matter, not right now. There's a sniper with a lock on him and Hibari has found himself in a new type of battle he knew nothing about.

 _'It involves rings and Flames,'_ he thought to himself while trying to scope out where the sniper might be, sacrificing his tonfa again and again when more bullets came flying at him. He was lucky that his opponent lacked the Baby's skill. There's little one can do when unaware of a sniper's location. _'What about the ring Bucking Horse was always so insistent upon?'_ He ducked another bullet and reached under his shirt, pulling out the ring he usually wore on a chain, hidden from sight. He tugged it free of the chain, uncaring of the sting as it pulled against his neck before shattering of links and put it on just in time to dodge another attack. He was a bit angry with himself that these lackeys were giving him such a hard time but he figured that will be remedied soon enough.

As soon as he figures out how to light his own Flames and what special ability, if any, they might have.

He was rather pissed off when a bullet managed to graze his right shoulder a few minutes later, when he had been found by yet another person with Flames, a woman this time, her Flames a bloody red, using a Bowie knife. Her Flames were smaller, so she was probably a bit weaker, but she was a good enough distraction and her knife left deep gauges on his tonfa that seemed to spread deeper and wider for a few seconds after the initial attack. It was a good thing he had several pairs of spare tonfa with him at all times, because this fight will leave this pair useless. Which made him angry, annoyed and royally pissed off.

Unexpectedly, the ring on his right middle finger lit up. With a large, dancing violet purple Flame that seemed a bit unsteady but seemed denser than the woman's red. The woman in question jerked back, eyes widening, distracted, so Hibari decided to ponder on his own Flames later and instead rushed her and swiftly knocked her out. He ducked a bullet and quickly took her ring, too, before he continued his dance, still trying to pick out the sniper. The graze earlier had been painful, he will admit, mostly because the electricity-like Flames definitely had electrical properties and he'd received quite a shock as well as a burn. He wasn't sure how a direct hit would affect him, but he would rather not find out. It would be embarrassing.

Still, he might not have a choice, he contemplated as he looked down at his abused tonfa. Their integrity is vastly compromised and it will be only a matter of time before they might break under one of the bullets and then he'd have no weapons. Usually, that wouldn't be such a big deal. He used tonfa because they were convenient and gave him a larger range of what he can do in battle, but he was very good at hand to hand, too. Had to be, as he recalled that he'd _loved_ pestering his uncle for martial arts moves as a child, when he had been relatively innocent and naive. Fon, for all that his lessons were few and brief, had taught him well.

That would help him nothing in a fight against a sniper.

He needed to cover his tonfa in Flames. That should strengthen them, if nothing else, so he can defend better. That's how it worked for the others. He ducked behind a random herbivore and concentrated, imagining the same Flames lighting his ring spread over his tonfa. It took but three tries before he managed it and just in time for the sniper to locate him again and shoot. The bullet bounced off the dense purple Flames and buried itself into the ground.

He'd also been able to track the trajectory of the bullet and a feral grin spread across his lips as he looked towards the elevate DJ booth, meeting the sniper's eye through their scope. The sniper jerked up and fired a few blind shots at him as they scrambled to get away, but Hibari knew the trick now and he knew the source.

He prowled predatorily towards his prey, letting his bloodlust part the crowd for him as he started the hunt.

The night at the club was fun indeed.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On this fine day, some twenty one odd years ago, give or take a few hours, this author has been born. And so, in honor of this fine day, I give you .... Two chapters in one day!
> 
> Please enjoy!

Reborn wasn't sure what had happened last night, but Lucia looked to be in a particularly bad mood this morning, Dino seemed confused and Hibari looked pleased but contemplative, ignoring the rest of the dinning table more than usual. Which he had thought impossible enough before, but he was proven wrong perhaps for one of the first times in his life.

Because, while Hibari normally ignored Tsuna and the others, he _would_ still grace Dino and Reborn himself with some attention, acknowledging any attempts to speak with him if they were made.

Now, though, Hibari was barely paying attention to Hibird and Enzio, who were actively trying to get his attention by acting all cute.

It was a bit concerning, to say the least.

Reborn had, of course, asked the blond Don what could have possibly happened to cause this. Tsuna and his other Guardians and their civilian friends all seem to have had a good time at the club and Hibari hadn't returned with them in a homicidal rage, either. He _had_ been in a bit of a sour mood last night, from what Romario could tell, but it hadn't seemed so bad. What had concerned the right-hand man was that Hibari had requested one of his spare pairs of tonfa - something none of them had known the prefect even had - from Kusakabe and handed over his old pair, looking like it had seen the receiving end of an army battalion and somehow still survived. There were dents and curves in the usually straight weapons and even slashes that Romario could swear kept getting bigger.

It was obvious Hibari had been in a serious fight, but how was it possible that Lal Mirch had not caught wind of this? He hadn't yet had a chance to speak with the CEDEF affiliated Arcobaleno, but he'll be sure to hunt her down after the meal. If Hibari was indeed in a fight, it could have very well been from the same people as the sniper at the church. And if those people did indeed prove to be Tocceli's men, Lucia was finally making her move and Dino and the Cavallone were in danger.

Except they couldn't be sure of that, not yet. Hibari had not spoken a word with anyone not of the Disciplinary Committee since last night and while he didn't seem to have gained any major injuries, he seemed to be favoring his left arm. No one else would notice, no doubt, as the kid seemed to be ambidextrous - another new thing to add to his very slowly growing data on the Cloud Guardian - and often ate with either hand, even if he preferred his right most of the time. Reborn was tempted to ask Hibari for another favor so he can examine the teen to make sure he was actually alright, but he had a feeling the Cloud would not accept. Besides, his complexion seemed the same, he didn't look ill and Kusakabe wasn't a mess from worrying about his precious Chairman, so Hibari was probably fine. Maybe a bruise or a bad sprain, but obviously no blood was lost.

Reborn would still like to make sure, because now that he knew this kid was related to Fon, he'd rather not earn his fellow Arcobaleno's ire just because Hibari got seriously ill from an infection due to a poorly treated wound while under Reborn's watch. Fon had spoken one or two times about a nephew he adored. Now that he knew whom that nephew was, and the boy had somehow ended up under Reborn's 'care', he'd seriously rather not have Fon angry at him.

Besides, Dino would freak, too, and they needed him calm and cool headed for the ongoing operation. The enemy was obviously making a move, though it remained to be seen if the target had been Dino and Hibari had intercepted them or someone else. Could have been Tsuna, could have been Reborn, could have been Hibari himself or maybe even Lucia. It was a mafioso frequented club. Anything was possible, as was the fact that Hibari had found someone else fighting and had joined in. Reborn resolved to check the records the bouncers were no doubt keeping of how many corpses and injured they'd towed out of the club last night. Any and all that had fallen victim to blunt force trauma had faced Hibari without a doubt. That might give him a clearer idea of what might have happened.

That still, however, gave no explanation whatsoever why Hibari was suddenly wearing his Ring, though. That might be the biggest mystery of all. Dino had complained many a times that he had done all in his power to convince the teenager to never take the Cloud Ring off of his person, let alone to always wear it and Hibari had more often than not completely ignored his words. Now he kept the Ring safely on his right hand middle finger and even kept throwing glances at it as he contemplated whatever thoughts were on his mind. That was unusual, if nothing else. Hibari had always shown very little interest in the Rings before, even after the Ring Conflict was over and he had seen what they could do, when they melted the ice from the Zero Point Breakthrough First Edition.

It would seem that a lot has happened last night for so many changes to occur.

"Excuse me, Chairman," Kusakabe's voice suddenly broke through the usual chatter at breakfast and everyone turned their attention to the teenager, who was only looking at Hibari. Said Cloud finally graced the present with his attention, turning silver-blue eyes to his second in command. "We have completed everything on your list. Should I return later?"

"Report," was all the head prefect said and Kusakabe nodded before falling into what looked a lot like parade rest, as though he were a soldier.

"As you have requested, we have found all the proof you needed. We've secured the data as per the usual procedure, plus one additional copy in both paper and digital form. As always, your suspicions proved to be correct, though the matter seems rather more complicated than even we could have expected. I believe you might like what we've found," Kusakabe said, sounding almost pleased that he had found something that might entertain his leader. "Also, the device you've ordered built is finally finished, though you will have to test it out yourself because, as you know, the sensor is very delicate and even just five meters of difference will be shown in detail. As for the third item on your list, we've managed to find a way to deactivate _it_ as well, though it is only for a limited amount of time. Five hours at most. And finally, we managed to cut off the communication between the transmitter and the source. It will take a couple of hours before anyone realizes that _it_ is not working as it should be, which gives a total of about seven hours of radio silence. Also, we have sent your tonfa for repairs. By the time we return to Namimori, they will be as good as new and ready to be rechristened in delinquents' blood."

"Hm, I am very pleased," Hibari said, a small smirk pulling at his lips. "And the other, more bothersome thing?"

"We have combed through all the legalities and rules and have found that, as long as the plebeians aren't involved in any way, there is actually very little that can garner the unwanted attention you've mentioned," the Vice-Chairman informed the Cloud, still sounding as professional as ever, not at all bothered how some of the people in the room were looking at him, a bit disturbed by his casual mention of someone getting beaten until they need a trip to the hospital. "Besides, with the proof we've obtained, if anyone would be found guilty, it would be the offending party and not you in any way. Not to mention that this is actually not at all uncommon, though it usually requires more than one person to accomplish. More for the lack of brain, preparation, skill and strength than anything, Chairman. From all the records we could find, it usually looks like a miniature battlefield during and after the mess, but no one would be surprised and though few will be unhappy, they would not be able to retaliate without putting their own necks on the line and this sort has proven to be too cowardly to dare. In short, you can do as you please, Chairman. We have all the evidence to back you up."

"You all did well, Kusakabe. I am indeed very pleased." Reborn suspected that Kusakabe would have beamed if his boss were anyone other than Hibari Kyoya, who would take offense to such a lack of discipline. Instead, he just gave a short, half bow as an acknowledgement and thanks to the compliment his leader had given. "Tell the others to rest until tomorrow. I am only in need of your assistance tonight, but you should have a break until then as well. I need you sharp and ready."

"Of course, Chairman!" The teen bowed and swiftly excused himself to get breakfast for his comrades before disappearing back up the stairs.

"Shouldn't you be a bit gentler towards your subordinates?" Iemitsu asked after a moment of silence and Reborn - and pretty much everyone else who knew Hibari even remotely - turned incredulous eyes at the man.

Hibari simply arched an eyebrow at him. "You run CEDEF how you see fit, I will run my Disciplinary Committee how I please." With that, he returned to his meal, much more alert than before but still completely ignoring everyone else, including the even more incredulous stares his simple reply had caused because since when the hell did Hibari know about _CEDEF_?

"Um, Kyoya? Might I ask what that was about?" Dino asked carefully, referring more to Kusakabe's report than the fact that Hibari somehow knew about CEDEF.

"Nothing special," the Cloud reassured, silver eyes growing a bit distant again, as though he were once more focused on whatever he had been thinking about earlier instead of the things happening around him. "It doesn't involve you. It's just that some fake predator has tried to challenge me and I am putting them in their place. Oh, and I'm also trying to find a way to prevent my overprotective uncle from keeping tabs on me 24/7. I have very little patience left for that matter, especially when I am trying to have some fun. I am no longer a child for him to come running every five minutes."

"You're only fifteen, right? You're still very much a snot-nosed kid," Lucia said with a huff.

"I'm whatever age I want to be," Hibari replied blandly and Reborn watched in fascination as the woman turned a purplish red in rage and frustration while their resident Cloud just continued his breakfast, once more lost in thought. Reborn was ready to give his left hand for just a peek into the teenager's thoughts.

If he didn't know any better, he'd say Hibari was playing a game with Lucia.

Now, if only it were the game he and Dino hoped for.

After breakfast, Dino expressed as much as he flopped into his comfy leather chair in his private office with a sigh, Iemitsu's CEDEF team and Reborn spread out across the furniture of the room. "I don't know what to do anymore, Reborn. I'm running out of time and we still have no evidence. Even the church sniper was contacted and paid in person instead of hired through the black web or a phone call. And he was paid in cash, so we can't trace any bank accounts, either. We're being cornered and while I'm eternally grateful for Kyoya and his interference during the rehearsal, he doesn't seem to have labeled Lucia a threat or anything."

"I don't know," Lal Mirch said with a hum, eyes trained out of the window to where the prefect in question was once again napping. "He seems rather hostile towards her."

"He's like that with everyone," Dino replied but the female Arcobaleno shook her head.

"I don't know him as well as you two do, obviously, but I've yet to see that passive aggressiveness directed at anyone else. I may be looking into things too much, but to me, at least, it looks like he's trying to provoke her. To bait her. Hibari Kyoya might have just figured something out and is trying to state a point."

"Or he's just a bratty kid, too used to getting his way, jealous that his tutor isn't paying as much attention to him as he's used to," Iemitsu, still bitter about Hibari's comment from earlier and apparent knowledge of his true profession and organization, grumbled, pouting all the while.

"Hibari isn't like that," Reborn countered this time. "I've gotten rather familiar with his character and temperament. He's not the type to be passive aggressive, especially not towards those he considers as enemies or challengers. However," he interrupted before anyone else could comment. "He _is_ the type to be condescending towards those who challenge him but he perceives them as weak or not a threat to him, foolish to stand against him. I've seen it enough times. Hibari is a surprisingly honest person. If he's condescending towards Lucia, it's because she's issued a challenge and he's disgusted by her daring to even think she stands a chance."

"So, something close to what Master says," the blond woman with glasses, Oregano, said hesitantly, not wanting to jump to conclusions but that was obviously all she got from Reborn's little speech.

Dino snorted, looking wistfully behind him at his napping 'pupil'. "If only. Kyoya might be possessive of certain things - my time included - but I never gave any indication that I am paying less attention to him. Kyoya may _look_ like he doesn't care about a thing in the world or that he doesn't pay attention, but he's more aware of his surroundings than even I am most of the time, than even the best paid hitmen, than most bodyguards, soldiers and policemen. He knows that he only has to _look_ at me and he'd have my undivided attention unless my family was involved. He also knows that I am being targeted. Are you forgetting that _he_ was the one to split the bullet with my name on it in the church? So, yeah, he is kind of spoiled and he's used to getting things his way, but he's the one who made that possible through his own strength and experience."

"Which means that Lucia might indeed be up to something," Reborn summarized. "Or at least someone she's involved with."

"I still can't believe we're placing so much trust into a middle school kid's opinion," sighed Turmeric but he didn't complain.

"That middle school kid fought the Varia," Reborn reminded.

"Injured, for the most part, of it, might I add," Dino added.

"He took down the Gola Mosca, though he didn't know that he should tear it to pieces for it to finally stop working," the hitman mused, earning an impressed eyebrow from Lal Mirch. He smirked. "I know. I found Tsuna quite the Guardian." Tumeric and Oregano just whistled, also impressed. "Anyway, I get the impression Hibari is playing a game. We'll give him until tonight to make a move. If he doesn't, then you guys can take over. From what I understand, there _are_ contingencies in place if everything was to go smoothly beyond bachelor's night."

"Yeah, there's a staged attack from a 'rival family' if I need an out," Dino said with another sigh, running his hands over his face in a clear exhibition of exhaustion.

"Pardon my poking my nose into your business, Don Cavallone," Tumeric started hesitantly. "Please don't mind my asking, but if it _does_ turn out that Tucceli are innocent, Lucia is not a bad match. Why would you still wish to stop the wedding? She is beautiful, comes from a good famiglia and isn't too snobbish. And she seems quite taken with you. I know it has nothing to do with me, but I am just confused. Many men would kill to be in your shoes."

The blond looked conflicted over how to respond for a while, but Romario answered for him. "Ms Tucceli is not Boss' type."

The CEDEF agent just arched an eyebrow at that. "Pardon me once more, but I've heard of your reputation, Don. I would say she was exactly your type."

Reborn smirked, the one to reply this time. "That was before he went to Japan and discovered just how brutal love can be. Almost as vicious as his paramore."

"I _really_ don't need that coming from the one who's in a suspicious relationship, as a baby might I add, with the Poison Scorpion."

"You're in love with _that_ little hellion?" Lal asked, eyebrow arching in a fairly impressed manner. "Well, at least you've got good taste. And guts. _Lots_ of guts. I'm impressed, Haneuma Dino. It takes _balls_ to pursue an Arcobaleno's _acquaintance_ , let alone _nephew_. Have fun and good luck with _that_ when Fon finds out."

"And that's if Kyoya doesn't have his head first," Romario said mercilessly with no remorse or sympathy whatsoever. Dino just groaned and buried his face further into his hands.

"You're all _evil_ and I hate you. Shouldn't we be discussing what we'll do if it all goes to shit tomorrow? I don't want to accidentally bring the Vindice upon my head, you know."

"Seeing as the wedding is staged, if nothing happens tonight or on its own, you won't get to the vows, Boss," Romario reassured, patting the blond on the shoulder. "And I wouldn't give up on Kyoya just yet. Reborn-san says that the boy is playing a game. We all know that the only game Kyoya would play would be cat and mouse, with him as the merciless, hunting cat. It's quite possible that it won't take much longer for him to make a move."

"But the question still remains," Iemitsu interjected, finally going into serious mode. " _Who_ is he playing this game with? Because he said it clearly, didn't he? It has nothing to do with Cavallone, in his own words."

Reborn hummed, thinking. "While Hibari may be straightforward and brutally honest in both words and actions, that doesn't mean he doesn't know how to keep things to himself. For instance, we knew next to nothing about his personal affairs until the other day, when he revealed to be related to the Storm Arcobaleno, Fon. Of course, Colonello and I - and probably Viper and now Lal Mirch - could immediately tell that they look too much alike for it to be a coincidence, but it was only when Hibari himself stated that they were uncle and nephew that we could know anything for certain. And all of his records, his 'file' could amount to barely half a piece of paper. We'd be really hard pressed to get anything out of him and he's proud enough with the endurance and resilience of a dozen men-"

"And stubborn, too," Dino commented with exasperation mixed with fondness.

"-so there's no way he would say anything, even under torture. It's really very likely that he meant a _part_ of whatever's going on has nothing to do with Dino or his family, just as likely as it is that he meant the whole thing. In short, you can never know with Hibari. He didn't exactly get Namimori under his authority by revealing his plans or actions left and right."

"So, to be concise, we can do nothing but wait for a sign if we should make our own move or not," Lal summarized with a sigh and the fedora wearing Arcobaleno nodded.

"Pretty much."

"Then we better hope my son's Cloud Guardian is playing a game that corresponds with our own," the External Advisor said solemnly. "Otherwise, the marriage might go through and then Don Cavallone's life is forfeit."

Reborn looked out the window to where Hibari was peacefully, ignorantly napping. _'What are you up to, Hibari?'_ That was the thousand dollar question, wasn't it? And only the Cloud knew the answer.

00000

The bachelor's party was wild, loud, crowded and noisy enough to rival the nightclub the other night, but it was packed with fifty of Bucking Horse's handpicked men to act as security detail. Many other mafioso herbivores pretending to be carnivores were here tonight, at the lavish restaurant Dino had rented out for just this occasion. There was plenty of food and drinks going around and while it was supposed to be a 'fun' party, it was still very much in the realm of business. It showed in how everyone had dressed up considerably, all men in tuxedos or at least fancy dress shirts and vests. Hibari would have come in his uniform, as usual, because he couldn't give a damn about what anyone thought of him, but tonight was different.

Tonight, he had a game to play and was, for the first time, going to make a clear move. Or rather, he's announcing his entrance to the game to his opponent, even if he had already made a move.

After all, there was no red and gold armband around his bicep, was there? He had a good seven hours to have fun unbothered and then he'll have a countdown to mind and an annoyingly overprotective relative on his tail. He'll probably get scolded, but he doesn't really care.

He had a fake-herbivore to discipline and hopefully a lot more herbivores to bite to death.

The party was boring, by his standards, because all these brutes were socializing and laughing together and pretending to be civilized instead of embracing their true nature as killers and criminals. There was the man who hadn't batted an eyelash at the club when Hibari bashed a skull in. There was that woman who had glared at him for almost toppling her over with a defeated opponent. Hell, even one of the bouncers who had dragged his victims off of the dance floor was there, apparently some mafioso's wife's childhood friend or something equally as ridiculous. He didn't know how to feel when the bouncer nodded at him as though in greeting but he decided to ignore him as he would everyone else.

It's not like he will be staying for much longer. The shift change will happen soon and he needs to get there while they're at it if he wants to have optimal fun. Also, he's not masochistic as to torture himself with all of this crowding. He's not Sawada Tsunayoshi or his band of herbivores. They at least seemed to be having a relatively good time. If you ignore the fact that Gokudera Hayato was telling everyone left and right about who the new Vongola boss will be, while said future boss wanted to vanish while Yamamoto Takeshi laughed it off and Sasagawa Ryohei kept screaming 'Extreme!' as though that somehow contributed to the conversations happening all around him.

And they were unlucky enough that the little Chinese girl wasn't there - since she was with the bride and the other girls at _that_ party - to at least try to keep that cow kid under control. The ranking boy was trying to do it instead but was about as unsuccessful as anyone else.

Sometimes he wondered why his life had to get so complicated, but he knew the answer to that. He was currently entertaining a big crowd of his 'fans' a few tables away from where Bucking Horse was laughing with other Dons.

Hibari shook his head and glanced at the nears watch he could catch sight of and immediately reached into his pocket, sending a single text to Kusakabe. He's already wasted nearly three hours here, since the party had started at six in the afternoon and was meant to last until at least one in the morning. Weddings were weird. Or maybe it was just the Italians.

Half an hour later, his phone vibrated once in his pocket and Hibari left without a single glance back. Kusakabe was waiting for him outside of the restaurant, unloading the sleek black motorbike from the bed of the truck the DC had rented. His second in command gave a shallow bow which Hibari acknowledged with a nod. His bike had been scheduled to arrive this morning but he had allowed his subordinates to sleep away most of the day so it was Kusakabe himself that had to go and pick it up and then bring it to him now.

"That is all. Return the truck and get back to the mansion. If anyone asks where I am, say that I left and no more."

Kusakabe nodded and gave another small bow. "I wish you a good hunt, Chairman."

Hibari just mounted the bike and left without a word.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked it! Please leave a comment? *puppy dog eyes, Reborn style*


	11. Chapter 11

As always, his Disciplinary Committee had made sure to do their jobs right and the coordinates and direction they provided for him were accurate to the last detail. It took Hibari mere forty minutes to reach his destination from the restaurant Bucking Horse had booked, though he made sure to park and hide his bike a safe distance away from the hideout or base of operations or whatever it was that the big building half a kilometre away represented. It had a lot of guards, as was to be expected, since it's time for the shift change so everyone was milling about.

Hibari had not only chosen this time because he's a 'battle maniac' as many would describe him, but also because there's always some confusion when shifts change. With so many people about, it's actually a lot easier to miss a single person sneaking up to them than if it was just one shift present. Also, half of the people there would be tired and only a hindrance to their fresh allies, but the new ones would not yet be in the alert mental state to be at their best to defend themselves and their territory.

Shift change was the absolute best time to attack an enemy, though many usually hesitate to do so when the target location is at full capacity because that would usually mean more opponents. Not many had the same insight into how this works in one's favor like Kyoya did and he wasn't so proud as to not acknowledge that he probably wouldn't have bothered to learn such a trick himself if not for Fon teaching him.

The man might smile like a herbivore, but he was definitely Hibari's kin.

He wished he had a way to find out how many of his soon-to-be opponents had rings and could use them, Hibari mused as he came closer, silently taking out everyone he came across. Really, it was far easier so far than he had imagined, mostly because the new arrivals would call out to the previous guards to get their attention and that was the perfect time to strike. It cost him time, as it took more than another half an hour before he got to the building itself, but he had to make sure everyone was sufficiently dealt with so no one can alert the others to an intruder. He wants a good fight, but he doesn't want to tempt fate and get himself overwhelmed by numbers alone, especially since he didn't know how many were Flame active here. He's still relatively new to this style of fighting and still has no idea what his purple flames can do since he hasn't run into any 'Clouds' like himself yet. He knows how to reinforce his tonfa and that's about it, but that can't be all and it certainly isn't enough. He's not satisfied with just that, so he kind of, maybe, hopes that he'll run into another 'Cloud' and see what they can do.

By the time he encountered the first guards at the big building, it was already dark, which suited him fine, as he had black hair and a black suit on, but it was a full moon and the light reflected off of his tonfa and made his pale skin pop out in the darkness. It actually alerted three different people to his presence already, but he hadn't had to use Flames yet, so most of the personnel still didn't know he was there yet.

Until they did, when one man managed to stay conscious on his way down just long enough to activate the alarm and the whole base started ringing obnoxiously loudly, making Kyoya grimace. The red alarm lights were a bit overkill, but then so were the spotlights that started randomly scouring the grounds to find the intruder - him - while people with guns and weird weaponry started running about. It would seem that the ring users were finally coming out to play. He let them be the first ones to make a move, allowing himself to be seen so they'd ignite their Flames and he could figure out which ones were the most dangerous and which ones had the messiest to deal with abilities.

He could already tell from first sight that most of them were average and just below or just above in fighting skill without any fancy advantages like Flames usage and as he took in the colors of the fires burning away at ropes, chains, swords, guns, poles, one person even had nunchucks, another a katana, some had bo staffs, others boomerangs, riding crops and so much other strange things that could be used as weapons. The most common Flames seemed to be red, yellow and green. There were no orange ones and he could only see one indigo and one violet. Blue Flames were so-so in numbers. He guessed that was a pretty good statistic, good for him that is, even though it robbed him of seeing all of what his own Flames might be capable of. He at least knew how red, yellow and green worked and he knew the indigo one had to be an illusionist, so he had to be more aware of his surroundings than he usually would be because he can't just rely on his senses now. He'll need instincts and he'll need his own mind to counter the impossible from what is reality.

He really hates illusionists.

He doesn't hesitate this time to activate his own Flames, causing a few murmurs in the crowd that he can't make out but, apparently, his Flames might be rare or something. Doesn't matter, because he's already charging at the mass of opponents, the non-Flame users firing their guns at him as if that would be enough to stop him or take him down, especially once he's close enough that they can't aim properly because he's inside their guard.

The first dozen or so that he encounters aren't much to write home about, so to speak. As he had judged, they lack any proficiency in fighting, relying completely on their Flame-covered weapons to do most of the job for them. As they can no longer damage his tonfa into uselessness, his superior fighting skills take down lackey after lackey, the herbivores falling down like trees. The second wave is aware that they can't just take him head on and instead crowd together, but that leaves them with less space for maneuvering, so it makes it easier for him to take two to three people down with a single swing of his tonfa. The strength of his Flames once again proves to be rather useful, especially when two green Flame users come down on him at the same time in an attempt to rid him of his weapons, which was unsuccessful and ended in them being bitten to death.

The third wave finally gave a bit of a challenge. It was the people with the stranger weaponry that were left, including a few blue Flame users, the 'Cloud' and the 'Mist' and two red, one green and five yellow ones. They surrounded him, the blue ones, but didn't attack, instead sending in the yellow ones to do their dirty work for them. Two of the yellows had boomerangs as their weapon of choice, one had a gun whose bullets could change trajectory if infused with the Flames and the other two had throwing stars and knives, though they didn't seem particularly skilled at it, so they had probably gotten away from the initial carnage he'd made of the others by staying back, but they _did_ seem to have _some_ hand to hand fighting skills, though not anything that would make Hibari sweat even on his worst days. They _were_ fast, though, he'll give them that. Faster than he could have expected. In fact, they were so fast he felt a bit like he was slowing down ...

He jerked back suddenly, in realization that made his mind force his body to go back to its usual speed. This was the blue ones' doing. Somehow, they forced tranquility on the body and the mind and while it would have probably knocked out anyone else by now, Hibari would _not_ be restrained or controlled, not by anyone else but himself, his own will, his own sense of self. He deployed the chains with the small but strong mace at the end from the bottom end of his tonfa and whacked one of the yellows down before turning to the closest blue. The blue ones mostly had staffs, blades or poles, so wrapping the chains around their weapons of choice and pulling was mostly enough to yank said weapons out of their hands, leaving them plain on the ground when the Flames extinguished. The blue ones still tried to slow him down with their tranquility trick through their rings, but Kyoya was no stranger to forcing his body to move even when it screamed in utmost pain. He'd allowed his body only once to betray him and he would _never_ allow that humiliation to repeat itself.

Before he could knock down the last of the blues, though, a bloody red Flame colored arrow, of all things, sailed towards him and he evaded it fully just at the last second. The blue one fell back and the yellow ones came back, now receiving cover fire from one of the red ones. The other red had a scythe sort of weapon and was running at him, but Hibari was used to idiots charging at him as if thinking that might be enough to get a shot in. He poured more Flames into his tonfa and defended with one from the assault of the archer red, while using the chain and mace of the other one to whack down most of the yellows that had to come closer to get a better shot at him. The most troublesome of that color group turned out to be the gunman, but covering the whole length of the chain with his flames somehow made it lengthen and he suddenly had a mid range weapon that took down the observing green, the last yellow and even the archer red had to retreat. The Mist and Cloud had not bothered to join the fray since the start so they were already out of range, but when the chain kept lengthening further, they had to retreat several meters as well.

 _'So my flames can ... multiply? No,_ propagate _. Clouds Flames propagate. How interesting.'_ Still, he receded the Flames on the chain and it went back to its normal length so he can charge under the scythe red's guard, break the handle of his weapon in one swing and then his whole rib cage in another, making him go down hard, coughing up blood.

That left one blue, red, violet and indigo. All of whom he now knew special properties off, half of whom he now knew what their weapons were and how they will likely use them.

"How intriguing," the Mist one said. It was a male voice and sounded very old. Probably the man was in his late seventies, maybe early eighties. "You're very skilled for your age, young man."

Hibari said nothing.

"He's a very strong Cloud," the other Cloud said, a woman this time. "If he wasn't so obviously an enemy, I'd take him on as an apprentice."

"I already have a 'home tutor'," he replied this time, implying that he would be rolling his eyes in his tone if the action itself wasn't beneath him. "You're in my way. Move aside or I will bite you to death."

"Wow, that's aggressive!" Said almost cheerfully the blue one. He was a man, probably several years older than Bucking Horse, but still young. Mid thirties at most. "And a very interesting threat. We're ya learn to fight like that, kid?"

"Are you the one who beat up our comrades last night?" The red one demanded, still pointing an arrow coated in Flames at Hibari.

"None of your business," the Japanese replied, eyes subtly appraising the four, concluding that his best bet was to first take down the Mist, then the blue one, then the red, leaving the Cloud for last. The Mist was troublesome because he could mess with his perception, the blue one would try to slow him down if not outright knock him out and the dissolving factor of the red Flames could cause some serious damage. Hibari can't afford that, not when the burn/wound of his right shoulder was starting to strain after so much movement when he should be, technically, resting. Twenty four hours was not enough for a wound to heal from electric fire, after all, especially as he had treated the wound himself, so there's no telling if he should have done something more than basic first aid.

"We can take that as a yes, then," the red one said and fired another arrow without any more chitchat, which worked fine for Hibari. He much preferred fighting than talking, anyway. Talking was what herbivores enjoyed doing. He made a feint towards the archer, blocked the blue one - who had two saber-like blades, one of which he wrenched out of the blue's right hand on his way - before making his way towards his true target, the Mist.

Only for the other Cloud to block him with the cat she was using as a weapon. Kyoya glared, but didn't pause for a second to reveal the hidden blade within his tonfa, cutting one of the tails, two, three, only for twice as many to regrow in their place like a real life version of the myth of the hydra dragon. He jumped back when the woman cracked the whip, the length of the tails becoming larger and Hibari could not avoid all of the tails in time. Five struck true, one at his left side, two at his upper arm, one at his thigh and one even managed to wrap around his ankle, almost making him lose his footing. And it wasn't like the end of Bucking Horse's whip. No, the cat had metal claws at the end, so they tore at his skin and made blood gush out of the fresh wounds.

Michaelo the tailor will surely cry when he sees the damage done to his suit.

"Just give up, kid. You're surrounded and we're not like the other lackeys you've fought so far," the Cloud 'advised' with a fake smile on her face. "We don't know why you're here, but we have no qualms about killing you. You're obviously trained and most probably mafia. You're using Dying Will Flames, after all. Though how you know how to use rings in that manner is something our bosses might want to investigate."

"It'd be a waste to kill someone like him," the Mist said, scoldingly, like a grandfather would admonish their misbehaving grandchild. Or a stupid, overeager puppy that had accidentally broken something. "A few sessions under Mist Flame illusions and he won't be able to tell apart reality from fiction, let alone his true past over what I fabricate. _Gufo di Nebbia_ needs a test run, after all. Verde will be pleased to get back the data from it." The Mist took out an indigo colored music-box like item that instantly drew Hibari's attention. That thing looked innocent alright, pretty even, with it's decorations that looked almost like blue colored mist traveling over the surface of the box, but his instincts were screaming at him that the thing was _dangerous_.

"We should just drop him off to Verde, actually," the blue one argues, coming closer and taking out a plain blue box as well. "The kid has strong Cloud Flames, which are rare enough, but it seems he has Mist Flames to booth. That crazy ol' scientist has been complaining about not having anyone with enough Fiamma Voltage to test the limits of the Box Weapons' endurance, so maybe we'll get more interesting toys if we just give him a new guinea pig. _Especially_ as this is the first one we've found with dual Flames."

"That's a fate worse than death," the red archer said, a sadistic grin crossing his face. "I like it. It's more than he deserves for what he did to the others. Do you know how annoying it was to scour out their bodies so no one can trace this back to us? We should get _both_ Tocceli and Verde to pay us more. All of this Cavallone bullshit is not worth it for the cash we're getting."

"If you want to give him to Verde, just knock him out already," snapped the only woman present. "We still have a lot of cleaning up to do after the mess he's made if we don't want anyone getting suspicious of this place. Mistress Lucia's plan _must_ come to fruition as she wishes, or else the Tocceli famiglia will never get its revenge."

"You're the only one who cares about that among us," the Mist said, petting the 'Box Weapon' as if it were an actual pet. Hibari resolved to gather all similar items before he leaves this place. And to have a chat with this 'Verde'. "But I agree with her. Get on with it already."

"Right!" The blue one said, lighting blue Flames on his ring and then shoving the lit stone into the circular opening on top of the 'Box Weapon'. Hibari watched in something akin to fascination, though it would never show on his face, as the little cube opened and out come, in a flash of blue Flames, a cute little blue swallow, flying almost chirpily overhead. However, the closer it came to Hibari, the sleepier he suddenly felt and he knew immediately that they were trying to knock him out.

Gritting his teeth, he jammed the butt of his tonfa against his own thigh to jolt himself awake at least a little and he tried to stand up, but the Cloud propagated more of the cat's tails and they started wrapping around him, which only infuriated him more, making his own Flames soar higher and brighter over his ring. It actually made the whips almost stop completely in restraining him, but that's when the swallow landed on his head and he suddenly found his world fading to black.

00000

"What do you mean there's no sign of Kyoya anywhere!?" Dino fairly thundered at his own men, a rare enough occurrence that the ones put on security detail for the party flinched. "He's not that hard to keep an eye on! Mostly because he makes every single instinct in the human body scream danger the second he's in the same room as you! How could you _possibly_ lose track of him!?"

"Calm down, Boss," Romario said placatingly, putting a hand on the blond's shoulder. "Getting angry and losing your temper won't help us find him any quicker. Now, you know him better than almost anyone. Where could he have gone?"

"Are you kidding me? He could be _anywhere_! The valet said he had a _bike_ delivered to him, Roma! Since when do middle schooler's ride _bikes_!?"

"Dino, if you don't cool it, I swear I will shoot you," Reborn said with a dead serious voice. "This is Hibari we're talking about. That he knows how to ride a bike and that he had one brought to him should be the least surprising detail of this story, and the least worrying one, too. We need to focus on where he might be and what he might be doing and, unfortunately, whether he might be in danger."

"He said he had his own business to take care of," Iemitsu reminded, thinking of the strange breakfast interruption by the DC second in command. "His friends should know what he's up to, right?"

"I asked Kusakabe if he knows anything, but even if he did, he wouldn't say anything," Romario answered to that. "The Disciplinary Committee is unwaveringly loyal to Hibari Kyoya. If they do know something, the likeliness of them spilling is probably about the same as any Cavallone betraying Dino."

"They're just kids," the Head of CEDEF brushed it off, making Reborn turn to him with an arched little eyebrow.

"Are you suggesting we interrogate and possibly torture _children_?"

"Civilian children at that," Lal Mirch added. "We'd have Vindice breathing down our necks before the first hour is up."

"Not to mention Kyoya will take great offense and probably come after you when he comes back," Dino said with a glare at the blond man.

" _If_ he comes back, which may very well depend on whether those _children_ are questioned or not," the Sawada insisted. "I'm not saying we should bring out the torture tools, but we should scare them a little. They'll talk. They don't have the necessary training to endure a bit of intimidation or some finer interrogation skills that don't use violence or even real threats."

"The threat of being bitten to death is more than real for them to keep their mouths shut and that's if Kyoya is _merciful_ ," the blond Don countered with a shake of his head. "If he were to ever truly be disappointed in them, he could kick them out of the Disciplinary Committee, which to these guys is a fate worse than death. They won't talk."

"Besides," Reborn cut in before anyone else could protest Dino's claim. "Hibari said he doesn't need them _today_ , but he's obviously expecting them tomorrow."

"And he had said he'll have need of Kusakabe tonight, so it's more probable than not that it had been Kusakabe who had delivered the bike in the first place," Dino finished, running a hand through his hair. " _Mio Dio_ , why can't Kyoya do things the _normal_ way for once?"

"We don't actually know _what_ he's doing, but it sure did sound like he had quite a project going on," Romario said with a sigh of his own.

"I hate to say this, but it's obvious we can't put much more faith in the kid," Lal Mirch said, crossing her arms. "Bachelor's night is over and the wedding is tomorrow. We need to prepare the contingency. We'll let Hibari do his own thing and focus on our mission instead. We have no choice, as we've ran out of time."

"You're right," Don Cavallone admitted with a tired sigh and nodded at Romario as a signal to get everything ready. It was already three in the morning and he needed to get to bed if he wanted to be able to stay alert tomorrow, because his life might just depend on it. "I'll see you guys in the morning. We need to be sharp from now on." The others nodded and slowly trickled out of the room.

Dino sighed once more when he was alone and forlornly looked out of his window towards the spot Hibari had claimed for his afternoon naps.

"Where are you, Kyoya? What are you up to?"

The darkness outside had no answer.


	12. Chapter 12

Hibari woke up a couple of hours later with a jolt when he felt something tugging at his Flames and immediately lashed out.

That may or may not have been the best idea, because there had been a machine connected to him that had been trying to draw out his Flames and transfer it into a reservoir, but his reaction overloaded the machine and suddenly, the entire laboratory he'd been trapped in, strapped to a metal table, exploded and started collapsing in on itself. There were screams and the rumble of falling debris, the crunching of machines and the breaking of glass before it all became silent again, though that might be because something fell on his head and knocked him out for a while again.

When he woke up again, it was already light outside, something he knew now because there was no longer a ceiling above him and half of the building he'd scoped out last night seems to be in ruins. He wasn't sure what the laboratory was supposed to have looked like, but it looked like a pile of rubble and concrete now. The table he was strapped to had caved in on one side, a boulder narrowly missing squashing his left arm, but it allowed for there to be more than enough space for Hibari to wiggle down under the restraining straps and free his upper body, which in turn allowed for him to bend over and free his legs, too. He noted that no, his injuries have not been treated but, yes, he did still have his ring on, but his tonfa were nowhere in sight, which immediately pissed him off.

The flare of his temper made his Flames light the ring,providing him with further lighting to investigate his surroundings.

There were a couple of scientists lying buried under the rubble, but they were all clearly dead so he didn't bother with them. The four from last night that had survived his initial rampage seem to be knocked out if not outright dead, but he cared more about the boxes they had obviously tried to use seconds after the disaster started but seemed to have not been quick enough and got half buried under the building. Shame. He would have liked to fight with them.

He, of course, gathered up the boxes, because those were the most interesting things in the whole room, or so he thought until he almost tripped over a little body.

A little body dressed in a lab coat, with wild green hair, glasses and a green pacifier that was as familiar as it was new.

Apparently, he'd found another of the Baby's and Fon's companions.

And this one seems to be behind the 'Box Weapons'.

He promptly slapped the green infant awake, making 'Verde' jerk and blink confusedly at his surroundings before focusing on Hibari. He glared at him but Hibari glared right back. "What do you want, Fon-clone?"

"Information," the Japanese replied easily, surprised that the man had immediately spoken to him in Mandarin instead of English or Italian, but the man most obviously knew Fon and probably presumed Hibari knew it just because they might be related. "On those boxes, on the rings and on why and how you're connected with the Tocceli family. And on what the hell happened, first of all. I will warn you only once, though. I am not as patient as Fon, so talk quickly or I'll bite you to death."

"I'm an Arcobaleno, kid," Verde said, sneering at the Cloud.

"And so is my overprotective uncle, who has by now no doubt found out that his little tracker is no longer giving off a signal and will be on Italian soil within the next couple of hours. And this right here," Kyoya said as he took out the device he'd had his Disciplinary Committee make for him, meant to disrupt the signal but also send out a short one at the press of a button. Which he pressed now. "Has just sent him a burst of data that I have been here. When he comes, I will make sure that you cannot escape and you and your little compatriots will face the full rage of the Storm Arcobaleno, the world's greatest martial artist. And if that's not enough initiative for you to talk, Reborn is also rather fond of me."

The green Arcobaleno actually flinched at the thought of having to deal with two pissed off Arcobaleno at the same time without his machines around to keep him out of a direct confrontation. Reborn was the strongest Arcobaleno with Fon being a close second. Verde would rather not have to fight them both.

"And that's not even mentioning that I am Cavallone Decimo's 'precious student' or Vongola Decimo's Cloud Guardian." Usually, Hibari would not bind himself by such titles, but he was running out of time again. It had to be about six in the morning. He'll need about an hour and a half to get to the church and the ceremony begins at ten. He wants to know all about the Boxes before he goes in and he wants to know whether he needs to get witnesses or not.

"Those four brought you into my lab after they knocked you out last night," the scientist starts talking. "They said you had strong dual Flames and that you might be a good test subject for my newest invention in Box Weapons, the _Porcospino di Nuvola_ that has been troubling me for a while because Maria, the Cloud one, did not have a strong or pure enough Flame to open and form it properly."

"You experimented on me?" Hissed the skylark, his ring flaring with bigger Flames and Verde tried to lean away from them. "Maybe I really should just leave you to Fon's 'mercies'."

"I only managed to put a few scanners on you and a transferring device, but then you regained consciousness and overloaded the machine! I did nothing to you! Any injuries you have sustained come from your little fight to get here and the destruction of the lab."

"Did you at least get what you wanted?"

"Unfortunately," grumbled the green haired Arcobaleno. " _Porcospino di Nuvola_ formed fully for the first time, but it went on a bit of a rampage because it got drunk on the amount of Flames you've fed it when you jerked awake. It started propagating at a truly incredible speed and destroyed the building and all my research with it!"

Hibari looked around until he found the box that probably contained the new animal. It was the same purple as his Flames and had cloud designs on it to make it easier to identify it's nature. "You're coming with me regardless of your other answers, but I want to hear them anyway."

"The Tocceli are just financing my research and testing out my inventions," the Arcobaleno shrugged, uncaring of how little moral that implied he had. "As long as I can continue my research, I don't care who or how uses my inventions. I care not for the riches I can gain. I only care for finding answers to my questions. Once I have satisfied my curiosity on one subject and perfected it to my satisfaction, I will simply move on to the next one."

"Then perhaps we can make a deal," the prefect muses, looking around for any more boxes. Maria, the other Cloud, had another Cloud box but Verde told him it contained a centipede so Hibari wasn't interested. He'll find someone else to shove that on, but first, he needs to find a box of each Flame type for his 'fellow guardians'. _'I can't believe I am getting further involved in this.'_

"What kind of deal?" Verde asked, half wary, half curious. "There are three Sky Boxes in that container over there," he pointed to his special safe. "They're a bit rowdy, but Sky Boxes have proven temperamental."

"Sky?"

"Orange Flames, Flames of harmony," the scientist explained, watching and cringing when the teen picked up a random piece of debris and smashed open the safe as though it's made of paper. "Red are Storm Flames, blue are Rain, green Lightning, yellow Sun, indigo Mist and violet Cloud. How are you Flame active if you don't even know that much?"

"I get annoyed and the Flames ignite, though I didn't know that until two nights ago," Hibari replied as he took out the Boxes but found his hands to be full. He frowned, looking around for a bag or something but ended up making a makeshift satchel out of a dead scientist's lab coat. He put all the boxes he had collected so far and started searching for a green and a yellow one, since he had the boxes those four herbivores from last night had been using. "As for the deal, if you cooperate for now, I will find you a sponsor so you can continue your research undisturbed."

"Can you truly make that kind of promise, Fon-clone?"

"My name is Hibari Kyoya and yes," he replied, not providing any further explanation as he spotted a small green square underneath some debris. "Do you know what happened to my tonfa?"

"Very well, Hibari Kyoya. I accept your offer," Verde said after a moment of thought, nodding. "They should be in the east end of the lab. I am working on also creating non-living Box Weapons and even battery ones, but this animal type is coming along most successfully for now, so I am trying to perfect it."

"You have better not messed up my tonfa or I will bite you to death," the Disciplinary Committee Chairman threatened with a death glare.

"I didn't get the chance," the Arcobaleno deadpanned. "If you've truly only seen how Flames are used once and how rings can be utilized just two days ago, how come you've gotten good enough at it to come all the way here on your own with such minor injuries?"

"I usually need to see how something works only once for me to understand the technique behind it. It comes very useful in a fight."

"Yes, you are _definitely_ related to Fon, though are you sure he's only your uncle? You could pass off as twins. Well, _could_ _have_."

"I get that a lot." It was Hibari who deadpanned this time. "And yes, I'm sure. Is that all of them? I don't see any Sun Boxes around."

"If you can get into the storage room, you can take your pick, though not all of them are complete. Why are you even involved in this?" Verde asked after pointing out the east end of the lab and then the storage room so Hibari could retrieve his tonfa and all of Verde's finished work so far. "Clouds usually don't mingle with the family, so to say, let alone allies."

"Lucia Tocceli has issued a challenge. I am merely showing her who the alpha carnivore is." Hibari retrieved his weapons and moved over to the storage room, where he put the genius scientist down. "Try to run and you'll find yourself dead in seconds."

"I'll stay here if you promise to find Keiman before we go and take him with us."

Hibari paused where he was preparing to knock the door down. "Keiman?"

"My animal partner, a crocodile. He should be in here somewhere and I refuse to leave without him." Kyoya thought back to Hibird, hopefully perfectly fine and safe with Kusakabe, and nodded. "By the way, do me the favor of testing out _Porcospino di Nuvola_ again, just so I know for sure that it's stable. It operates on _your_ Flames, so even if I am its creator, it won't turn on you on my command or anything." The teenager gave the fake baby a skeptical look and Verde sighed. "I don't make a habit of lying. I get nothing for or from it. I already told you that I only desire to be able to continue conducting my experiments."

Deciding to trust him this time and bite him to death if he proves to be lying, Hibari took out the Cloud Box he had claimed for himself, ignited a Flame on his ring and inserted it into the opening. The box fed on the flames, shook a little before springing open to barrel straight into the door, knocking it down with far more force than was necessary. "Wao," was all the skylark could say, impressed. Then he blinked when the spiraling ball of Flames and spikes came to float in front of him. When it stopped moving and turned to properly face him, Hibari found himself face to face with the cutest little hedgehog he had ever seen. "Wao."

"Pupii~!"

"I take it you approve?" Verde asked smugly, though he was rather pleased that the hedgehog seemed to be more than stable. "It is a Cloud Hedgehog, so it possesses the Cloud propagation properties, though I am unsure if that means that it can multiply or expand its size. That would require more testing, which I would hope you and _Porcospino di Nuvela_ -"

"Roll," Hibari interrupted. "His name is Roll."

"Pupii~!" The hedgehog seemed rather fond of that idea.

"No, that's ridiculous. It's name is-"

" _Roll_ ," insisted the teenager and then proceeded to ignore any and all protests that the scientist made by walking into what remained of the storage room. There weren't many boxes in there, truthfully, because apparently the project was still young, but there _were_ at least two or three more of most of the Flame types. "Why are there no more Mist and Cloud Boxes?"

"Mist Boxes are hard to stabilize and Cloud Boxes work best with higher purity Flames, or so I've been able to theorize so far. It's hard to tell when those two are the rarest Flame types after Sky Flames. I didn't have much chance to do testing," Verde replied, adjusting his glasses. Something nudged his foot and he looked down. "Oh, there you are Keiman. Where have you gotten off to?"

"Is this all of them?" Hibari asked after he had collected every single last one of the Boxes. He cast a glance at the Arcobaleno's companion but shrugged him off and returned the newly named Roll to his box. Verde may say the hedgehog was stable but Hibari liked it already and would rather not risk it with prolonged exposure to the outside of it's Box until they can be certain. "Should we get anything else? And don't try to lie. I plan on burning this place to the ground as we walk out."

"All my research is saved on a backup server in a discrete location very far from here and every time that a lab of mine might be broken into or destroyed, all the data is transferred directly there, so I don't see any reason as for why we should linger," Verde shrugged, now riding on his crocodile since Hibari had not bothered to pick him up again. "And yes, that's all of the completed Box Weapons that I developed here. I have a few more in my personal lab in said discrete location far from here, but they're prototypes I'm not very proud of, mostly. I can show them to you later, if you come through for our deal, but for now they are nothing to be concerned about."

Deeming that the scientist wasn't lying, Kyoya nodded and started walking, heading out of the ruble to try and find a way out of what was once a sturdy building. "Was this the HQ of the Tocceli or just one of the bases?" He asked as they passed fallen personnel buried under the debris dispassionately. Kyoya could tell at a glance that they were dead and he had never been one to sympathize with his enemies or those foolish enough to attack him and Verde didn't seem to have any morals or ethics to speak of so he didn't care either way.

"This was just a research facility," the Arcobaleno of the green Pacifier replies without a glance at the corpses all around. "The Tocceli's HQ is their manor, I believe. A two hours drive from here."

"And what time is it now?"

The baby-sized person looked at his watch and hummed. "About quarter to seven. Why?"

"There's a wedding I need to stop and a famiglia I need to wipe out," replied the prefect casually, even though a spark of anger coursed through him. Though it could just as easily be annoyance. It was hard to say these days. He swore never to come to Italy again unless it was just to fight people. Let others concern themselves with this subterfuge stuff. He may be good at it, but it is not his preferred approach. "And there's a game that I need to end with a solid checkmate. The ceremony starts at ten. How long before they're saying their vows?"

"I'd say about half an hour?" Verde guessed. "I'm not exactly the kind to mingle and go to these things, but I do believe Maria once said something to one of her subordinates about there being an assassination at around half past ten."

"Which means we have about three and a half hours to get to thee Tocceli headquarters, wipe out a famiglia and reach the church in time for me to stop that Bucking Horse from doing something stupid," concluded Kyoya, bent down and snatched up both scientist and crocodile before setting a faster pace with his longer legs

"There's a self destruct button on the ground floor, in the living room behind a portrait of a fat opera lady singing," Verde commented helpfully and just settled in for the ride.

If his suspicions were correct that Hibari Kyoya's personality might be something of a mix between Reborn and Fon, just not as outgoing as the two were in their masks, then this was bound to be very interesting and he had every intention of observing how the Vongola Cloud Guardian uses _Porcospino di Nuvela_ in a battle situation.

00000

"Any word from Hibari yet?" Reborn asked when he came into Dino's room, where the groom-to-be was pacing relentlessly, still not ready for his own 'wedding', though that was only because he didn't have his suit jacket on and his tie was loose around his neck.

"No. I'm getting worried, Reborn," admitted the blond, refraining from running his fingers through his hair only because it had been styled and gelled out of his eyes for the occasion so he would look more formal and sophisticated. "I know he's strong and probably the most adaptable person out there, despite what it may seem like at first glance, but this also isn't Namimori. Even if we exclude the fact that this is the heart and soul of the mafia world with mafioso everywhere, it's also a foreign land, he doesn't know the language and he's still just a kid."

"He's Hibari," was all the hitman could say as a reassurance and usually, that just might have been enough.

"He can still get hurt."

"I guess we'll have to trust him. We've been doing that so far, right? A bit longer shouldn't be too difficult."

"What if something happened to him?" Dino continued worrying, as though he hadn't really heard anything his former home tutor had said. "What if something happened to Kyoya and because I'm so focused on a _possible_ break of alliance, we're too late to help him, wherever he might be and whatever might be happening to him? How am I supposed to live with myself if that's the case, Reborn?"

"Where's Hibari-san?" A new voice asked before Reborn could rebuke the Don for panicking and the two look over to the door to find a very pale and very grim looking Tsuna with the rest of his Guardians, save Chrome and Lambo, staring at them in obvious worry and shock over whatever part of the conversation they'd just heard. "Where is he, Reborn? Dino-san?"

"This doesn't concern you, Dame-Tsuna. Don't go sticking your nose into another boss' business unless you're invited to," the Arcobaleno admonished, but the Sky only glared.

"You're always telling me that it's the boss' duty to take care of his family and you're the one who dragged Hibari-san into this mess! I have a right to know what's happening to my Cloud Guardian," Tsuna said firmly, a flicker of orange entering his eyes. He stood firm, unwilling to budge or back down on this matter and while both Reborn and Dino would usually be proud of him - and a part of them already was - they would have preferred it if it had happened at a better time.

"That's right," Gokudera cut in before either of the more experienced mafioso could say anything else. "Hibari might not accept it or act like it, but he's one of us regardless."

"We owe him our lives several times over at this point. We can't not just care about what's going on with him," Yamamoto agreed, no sign of his usual smile in sight. Even Ryohei was grim and determined.

"Hibari may be our strongest fighter, but he doesn't have to fight to the extreme on his own."

Dino shared a look with Reborn, glanced at the clock nearby showing that there was only an hour left before the wedding starts, studied the Vongola Tenth Generation standing before him and thought of their missing Cloud before sighing in defeat. Kids grow up _so_ fast.

So he took a deep breath and told them everything.


	13. Chapter 13

"You drive like a maniac!"

"Shut up and hold tight or I will stuff you in a bag."

"Never mind the suicidal mission you've set out on, you'll kill us before we even reach it!"

"I said shut up."

"How are you even pushing this thing to go this fast!?"

"It's custom made for me now keep quiet, herbivore, or I will seriously bite you to death."

"You're insane! Illogical! How are you even still alive if you're this reckless!?"

"No one can restrain me with logic."

"That doesn't even make any sense!"

" ... " The bike came to a stop and the driver turned to his passenger, a murderous glint in his eyes.

Verde wisely shut up and instead resolved to tell on Hibari Kyoya to his uncle, who will no doubt at least wrap the teenager up in bubblewrap to keep him safe.

The kid definitely needed it.

Satisfied, Hibari turned around and started up the bike again.

Fifteen minutes later, the Tocceli manor loomed over them in the distance.

00000

"Run for your lives!"

"Damn it, it's just a kid! One kid! Stand your ground, you cowards!"

"Protect the boss!"

"Why does he have a Box Weapon!?"

"That rat Verde has turned on us!"

"Just shut up and shoot! Shoot, damn you, shoot!"

" _Padre nostro, che sei nei cieli_ -"

"I don't want to die!"

"Shit! He's at the door! He's at the door!"

There was a single bang before the big wooden doors were thrown open under the force of a charging, rolling Cloud hedgehog, closely followed by its master who was already bathed in the blood of other Tocceli men, tonfa gleaming silver even as they are soaked in the red liquid and burning with purple Dying Will Flames.

"Have mercy!"

"I'm just the cook!"

A maid screamed.

Another fainted.

"We give! We give!"

The proud, aloof Cloud did not stop.

"I will bite you to death."

The whole property echoed screams for two miles.

00000

"So," an old man lying in his own deathbed said casually, as though talking about the weather as he gazed at the teenager who had just bathed in the blood of his famiglia. "The Cavallone have once again decided to play dirty and sent a Vongola to do their dirty work for them."

"You are mistaken, Don Tocceli," replied the skylark as he walked into the room to stand by the old Don's bead. A single good look at the man revealed to Hibari that the man would literally die within hours, no matter what anyone may do to try and change that. No wonder the Tocceli have been pushing now of all times, for both the marriage that would bring them more power and riches as well as for revenge. "I may be Vongola Decimo's Cloud Guardian, but I am here because you made a grave mistake by attacking Bucking Horse. You see, I consider him _mine_. Only I am allowed to kill him. It was promised to me. And then your daughter made an additional mistake that has cemented your fate and the fate of your family."

Almost unseeing eyes glared up at the Japanese teen. "And what may have my daughter done to incite the rage of a Cloud so?"

Hibari smirked. It was bloody. "She challenged me. She ordered a hit on me. She intruded on my territory. She planned on attacking _my_ herbivores. And for these transgressions, I will bite her to death."

The old man surged from his bed, a gun moving to take aim, but Hibari was faster and batted the weapon away with a single casual flick of his tonfa. That didn't deter the man and he lunged yet again in an attempt to continue fighting, but he was too weak and simply fell out of his bed. Hibari caught him, because he was not one to fight a helpless opponent. Instead, he brought the don back to his bed and even tucked him in as though one would a child.

"I will not ... let you ... kill my only remaining child ... "

"Oh, it's not _death_ that's waiting for her, Don Tocceli," Hibari reassured, thinking perhaps he was cruel but brushing it off. "She's broken several mafia laws, the worse of which is that she's involved civilians and introduced them to Dying Will Flames. At least two civilian scientists are dead because of her. No, it's not _death_ that's waiting for her, Don Tocceli. It's Vindicare prison."

"You are cruel, child," the man said through his struggling breaths, but he seemed less desperate now. Apparently, it was enough for him that his daughter will live, even if she's imprisoned and will probably never again see the light of day.

Hibari closed the man's eyes and whispered in his ear. "I was never a child to begin with." How could he be, when his own parents never truly treated him as one? How could he be, when he had to be the law and order of his own home town so it's not overrun by yakuza and other petty criminals since he was about ten?

Hibari stepped away and watched as the Don struggled to breathe for a few moments more, spasmed and finally fell into the final sleep. He covered his body with the sheets fully before walking out of the door, closing and locking them and then he combed through the house. All of the civilians have been spared, of course. They were just unlucky herbivores in need of money working for an old man, looking for a way to get food on the table. Hibari had told them to take anything and everything of value from the manor and now it was dead silent, half bare, with only mafioso corpses and blood to decorate the halls and rooms.

Hibari paused by the door and uncuffed the handcuffs one of the idiotic herbivores had tried to restrain him with but hesitated when he went to throw them away. In the end, he put them into his pocket and instead took out Roll's Box, fed it enough Flames and walked casually out of the manor as his hedgehog partner started multiplying and expanding until the integrity of the building failed and the manor started crumbling. Roll was even kind enough to then stomp on it in his spiked sphere mode until there was only finer debris remaining.

There was a gas leak, so Hibari just walked away and Roll followed, shrinking until it could land on his shoulder and give a happy 'Pupii~!' when he scratched under the little animal's chin as a reward for a job well done. Just as he reached his motorbike, where Verde and Keiman were waiting, a stray electrical wire finally ignited the gas and what was left of the manor blew up and started burning merrily.

Verde gave a slow clap, impressed despite himself.

"Hop on," was all Hibari said as he mounted his bike. "There's still some things I need to take care of. What time is it?"

"09:40, but it will definitely take us at least an hour to get to the church the wedding is at."

"Hn, don't underestimate me, herbivore."

"Oh mio Dio," Verde breathed with dread as the engine started up and they zoomed off.

00000

"That bastard Haneuma," Gokudera grumbled even as they and the other guests all stood as the wedding march was played so that the bride might walk up the aisle towards her 'husband to be'. The blond in question looked almost grim, making the silver haired Italian bomber grit his teeth to stop himself from lashing out against Dino. "Just who does he think he is, keeping something like that from us?"

"It's not like we could have done anything," Yamamoto said remorsefully, for once dead serious, a sharp look in his eye as he tried to figure out if there was danger in sight.

"At least some of Hibari's more extreme actions these last few days make sense," Ryohei whispered - actually _whispered_ \- just as Lucia appeared and started slowly walking towards the Cavallone boss.

"He honestly looked like his normal douchey self to me," Gokudera said, though he didn't sound so sure.

"He was extremely aggressive towards Lucia," the boxer insists stubbornly, glaring at Gokudera when the bomber turns to rebuke his claims. "Listen, you guys don't know Hibari as long as I do, even if we've never really talked or interacted much. But one thing I _do_ know about Hibari _extremely_ well is that he doesn't taunt people unless he is about to fight them or finish them off, and even then it's not the kind of extremely weird behavior he's been showing towards Lucia."

"Onii-san is right, you guys," Tsuna whispered to his Guardians. "Hibari-san is really good at judging people, like Reborn and Dino-san said. I thought Lucia felt off, too, but I couldn't put my finger on it. But that's probably because I have no experience in things like these. From what little we've managed to learn about Hibari-san during this trip, he might actually be a lot more used to this type of environment than we first thought. He obviously recognized something was wrong."

"So you really think Hibari might be missing now because of the Tocceli?" Their resident baseball star asked, frowning. "We're talking about Hibari here, Tsuna. Didn't it take a terminal disease last time to get him incapacitated in any way last time, with Rokudo Mukuro? I mean, he managed to move by sheer force of will during the Sky Match despite that strange poison. Do you really think someone can take him down that easily? Or keep him imprisoned?"

"We don't really know either way, do we," said unhappily the young Vongola. "I wish we could ask adult Lambo, but he refuses to use the Bazooka and what adult Lambo once told me suggests that we might not even be talking to the Lambo from the same future each time the Bazooka is used, but some alternative version. The Lambo we get might not know anything about Hibari-san's current situation."

"Haneuma should have just told us from the start," Gokudera said as Lucia finally reached Dino's side and the blond unveiled her face for the start of the ceremony. "We could have helped, instead of just sightseeing, clubbing and partying."

"Dino-san wanted Hibari-san's opinion," the brunet reminded, sitting down with everyone else as the music faded away.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today-"

"The Cloud-person will be fine," Chrome spoke up, nearly spooking the others out of their skin since they had all but forgotten she was there. Ryohei and Gokudera actually jumped up in their seats, causing a little commotion as everyone turned their heads to frown disapprovingly at them, especially the priest, but the attention was soon returned to the ceremony at hand. "Mukuro-sama says that Hibari Kyoya's true power only comes out when people believe they have cornered him."

"Do you actually have contact with Mukuro right now, Chrome?" Tsuna asked, momentarily forgetting the well-being of one of his Guardians for the sake of another, whose condition they knew even less about.

The shy Mist nods. "Mukuro-sama says that things are stirring up where he is. They've actually taken him off most of his sedatives. Now they're only suppressing his Flames and he isn't even in the deepest levels anymore. Something is happening but he doesn't know what and he isn't sure if he likes it."

"What does _that_ have to do with Hibari's disappearance?" The Storm Guardian demands but Chrome just shakes her head.

"I don't know and Mukuro-sama doesn't really think there's a connection, either, but he says that it might be too big of a coincidence. He also says that the Skylark will probably be coming home soon. He says that the Cloud-person is too strong for the weaklings in this area to do him any damage."

"And how would this Mukuro know? Is he psychic to the extreme?"

"Mukuro-sama forms a sort of bond with everyone he possesses at some point," the indigo-haired girl explains. "With some, it's stronger, like with Boss or with Lancia."

"Or you," Yamamoto adds but Chrome shakes her head.

"My connection to Mukuro-sama is kind of like two halves of a whole. It's as if the same Mist Flame has separated and inhabited two different bodies. Under normal circumstances, we'd probably never meet and never form the bond we have, but Mukuro-sama has been shot with the Possession Bullet at the same time I was in a really bad situation and we finally connected. It's different for us."

"Mukuro once possessed Hibari-san, back when we first met him but he couldn't use his body because Hibari-san had a lot of broken bones and torn tendons from how Mukuro and his gang treated him," Tsuna said grimly, remembering those couple of days and how dangerous things had gotten. "Are you saying a connection was formed back then, between Mukuro and Hibari-san?"

"Mukuro-sama can choose which connections to terminate completely," Chrome said by way of answering. "However, Hibari Kyoya is the first person to have terminated their end of the connection, even though it should be impossible, as only Mukuro-sama or another who uses the Possession Bullet would even be aware of its existence."

"That would be Hibari's resilience and refusal to be controlled," Reborn, who jumped out of seemingly nowhere and landed on Yamamoto's shoulder, said. "I'm guessing it's more like he just closed it off?"

"Mukuro-sama still is somewhat aware of him and will probably never terminate his end of the connection because the Cloud-person apparently has strong Mist Flames, too, and Mukuro-sama might at some point need additional assistance than the power he draws from me."

"Hibari has Mist Flames?" The hitman asked, sounding far too intrigued. "Cloud and Mist, what a terrifying combination. Maybe I should send him to Lal for some Flame training. I'm sure they'd got along great."

"I don't think that's what we should be focusing on, Reborn-san," Gokudera hissed. "If she and pineapplehead know how and where Hibari is, they should just tell us so we can go and get him before something actually _does_ happen to that tonfa freak."

"Hayato, this is a wedding ceremony," Bianchi suddenly says, leaning in over Gokudera's and Tsuna's shoulder, lifting her sunglasses to better glare at her younger brother. "This day is supposed to be the ultimate representation of love and joy. It's what any woman looks forward to for her whole life. Don't ruin Lucia's special day."

"Aneki-!" As always, Gokudera doubles over as his stomach rebels the sight of his sister's face and he's officially down for the count. The ceremony actually has to stop again so that Yamamoto can take Gokudera aside, where the poor howling of his stomach won't be as audible for the rest of the guests in the church, which leaves Tsuna and Reborn with only two Guardians and while he would trust them with his life, he's not sure he'd trust them with appearing normal without being corralled by the others because they can't _afford_ to stick out or seem suspicious.

"I don't know where he is, Boss," Chrome says after the other guests stopped glaring suspiciously at them. It was a bit terrifying, because these were all experienced mafioso and Tsuna couldn't believe this was going to be his life - because there was no way Reborn was going to accept his protests forever - from now on. "But Mukuro-sama is sure that the Cloud-person is okay and returning home."

"You mean he's headed back for Namimori!?" Tsuna whisper-screeches, hands messing up his hair as he debates pulling it all out in stress.

"No, I don't think that's what Mukuro-sama me- Eh?" Chrome suddenly goes very still, her visible eye glazing over almost completely before she lets out an alarmed squeak. "Eh!?"

"Hiiieee!? What is it?"

"Boss, Mukuro-sama is being moved!" The girl all but grasps Tsuna by the shoulders and starts shaking him. "They're taking him somewhere and he's blindfolded and bound!"

Reborn frowns, perplexed. "That's not possible. When someone ends up in Vindicare prison, they're never moved unless it's to a deeper level or something. They never actually leave the prison itself. Vindicare was made with the intention of holding some of the worst criminals and most dangerous mafioso that would disrupt the balance of the mafia world if left to their own devices. There's no other place on Earth that can rival it in its purpose. Why would they move someone as dangerous as Mukuro and so suddenly?"

"Are you quite done yet?" A pissed off female voice breaks up their conversation and they all look over to see Lucia looking truly pissed off and rather scary as she glares death at them. "Or should we give you a moment?"

"That would be greatly appreciated, yes," Reborn says flatly, which makes the woman growl.

"I am sure that whatever it is that you are discussing," the priest says snidely, apparently also having been losing his patience with their group and whenever he was interrupted because of them. "Can be resumed _later_."

Reborn cocks his Leon gun and Tsuna grabs his hand, laughing nervously and ignoring the pain as Rebron grabs his pinky and twists so he would let go so the hitman can shoot the priest for speaking to him in such a manner. "Sorry, sorry! I promise that it won't happen again!"

"See that it doesn't," the priest and the bride both huff before they continue the ceremony and finally, it wasn't all that long before the words were said that will practically start the chaos that was stopping Dino's unwanted wedding. "Now, if there is anyone who disagrees that these two lovely people should marry, may they speak now or forever hold your peace." There's a moment of silence and the priest is about to move on to the final part of the ceremony, when a sound outside catches everyone's attention. They could hear it only because the church is dead silent, the sound of a purring, if struggling engine, before it is cut off.

Suddenly, every single person of mafia origin or occupation has a weapon in hand, mostly various guns, but there _are_ a few blades and some really weird weapons, though Tsuna and most of his Guardians have no place to talk, given how weird their own skill sets are. Gokudera and Yamamoto return to Tsuna's side as they all wait tensely for something to happen.

And then the church doors are blown open with a bang.


	14. Chapter 14

The explosion was so sudden that everyone was too stunned to return fire or anything of the sort. In fact, rare few people even ducked in case the explosion could send out flying debris that could be more dangerous than the initial bang itself. Not that it was needed, of course, as the explosion was relatively mild and had happened outside, but the force of it had been enough to throw the church's doors open, heavy mahogany things that they might be, revealing the hellfire outside and a single, _terrifying_ figure soaked in blood that stood at the threshold.

Hibird took flight from Kusakabe's shoulder and circled the church above the smoke, singing a very familiar school anthem in its cute, high pitched voice as it fluttered about before returning to the Vice-Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee, smart enough to realize things were only getting started.

The smoke rushed in and everyone coughed for a long time but by the time they were ready to actually take in what had happened, the Disciplinary Committee had appeared out of whatever corners of the church they had been loitering in and have lined the aisle like a wall. Whether that was to keep the people from interfering or as a way to keep the guests safe was really no question as when everyone finally adjusted to the sudden influx of light and their ears stopped ringing, it became obvious that it was the one and only Hibari Kyoya that stood with his back turned towards the explosion.

There was a very unhappy frown on his face. "Bucking Horse, you owe me a custom made motorcycle."

"Kyoya!?" A delighted, relieved and utterly perplexed Dino called out as he tried to stop what was left of his coughing fit.

" _You_!?" Lucia growled at the same time, pointing an accusing finger at the teen. "I thought I finally got rid of you! Maria reported that they caught you and left you to that mad scientist's whims!"

"Well, actually, I'm not nearly so suicidal as to incur the wrath of two of my fellow Arcobaleno, especially when I'm already being held at gunpoint, so to speak," another voice said and they all blinked as a small figure hopped down from the satchel Hibari had eventually stuffed him into. With a lab coat, green hair, glasses and a green Pacifier that started shining at the proximity of Lal Mirch and Reborn, Verde huffed at the bride-to-be. "Besides, Fon-clone made me a better offer _and_ is willing and more capable for running my experiments on Box Weapons, so there's very little you can offer me, Signora Tocceli."

"You let a _civilian_ know about Box Weapons?!" Lucia screamed, looking horrified.

Hibari huffed. "I was not a civilian even _before_ I became Vongola Decimo's Guardian of the Cloud Ring. Comes with the territory of being the Storm Arcobaleno's nephew. That's not why we're here, though. Well, at least why _I_ am here for."

"Wait just a sec!" Dino interrupted, looking between the two. "Kyoya, did she seriously kidnap you?"

"Of course not, Bucking Horse. Don't be a herbivore," the prefect said with a sneer. "I found her hideout myself."

"Maria reported that you were captured mere hours after I issued orders to kill you!"

"You'd need an army to actually make me go somewhere where I don't want to," Hibari replied casually. " _Sono stanco di giocare a questo gioco con te. Sono annoiato._ " He smirked when everyone who knew him _gawked_. Hell, even Verde and Reborn were looking at him with wide eyes and slightly parted mouths. "What? Did you perhaps assume that I speak only Japanese and English? _Che sciocco_."

"What?" Asked Dino weakly, too stunned to react otherwise. Lucia, on the other hand, was turning white as a sheet.

"You-"

"Heard it all? But of course. It's your own carelessness that got me serious. I would have simply bitten you to death like I usually do to those who break the rules or dare lay their filthy hands on that which is _mine_ , but that wouldn't have been enough punishment for the likes of you." Hibari gestured for Kusakabe and the teen promptly appeared at Romario's side, handing him a thick file with the logo of the Disciplinary Committee printed on the front. "You made it personal. You were unwise enough to invite me into our game. _Scacco_ _matto_. Your famiglia is no more."

" _What_ did you just say!?" Lucia's bodyguard shouted from up above and they all turned to see him reveal himself from behind a veil of illusions with a sniper rifle in his hands.

"Oh, it was like reading about Daemon Spade's reign of terror all over again," Verde said, adjusting his glasses. "Only with a lot more Cloud Flames and spikes and tonfa. And I got to watch it live instead of reading about it. The research facility was even destroyed on _accident_. The Tocceli manor ... Well, there's hardly anything left of it."

"You bastard! You're _lying_!" Lucia screamed, taking out a gun from underneath her dress and shooting at the Cloud Guardian, only Hibari didn't bother to dodge. Instead, lighting quick, he took out a box, lit Flames to his ring and showed it into the box, before something burst out and took the bullet for its master. Roll the hedgehog sent Lucai a cute glare as it puffed up threateningly where it was floating besides Kyoya now, and people were gawking and gaping and trying to interfere, but there was a bunch of civilian teenagers standing in front of them and unless they wanted to end up in Vindicare, they couldn't attack. "You-!? Why do you have one of our Box Weapons!? Why do you know how to use it!?"

"Roll is rather helpful, isn't he?" Hibari commented idly, calmly walking down the aisle. Massimo fired shots at him until he ran out of bullets, but Roll simply multiplied so Hibari was covered from all sides. Lal Mirch soon descended upon the bodyguard and right hand man, taking his weapon and tying him up. The other CEDEF agents got up, too, taking their own guns out and pointing at the other Tocceli men that had just stood up to help their boss. "And it's not that hard. I figured it out after seeing it done once. Everything else that I got curious about, I asked the green fake baby to explain."

"You know my name."

"As do you mine and yet you still refer to me as Fon-clone," the black haired teen replied casually.

"Hibari-san, are you okay?" Tsuna asked as the prefect walked past their row on his way towards where the bride, groom and priest were standing.

"That's irrelevant to the situation at hand," Hibari dismissed, taking another copy of whatever documents Kusakabe had given to Romario from said Vice-Chairman of the DC. "What _is_ relevant is that the Tocceli family is no more."

"You'll be hunted down by Vindice for this, brat!" Hissed Lucia, to Hibari's obvious amusement. Just then, a void-like portal opened and out came the wrapped figures in long coats and tophats that were the Vindice.

"Is this the one, Hibari Kyoya?" On the middle Vindice's shoulder sat what looked like _another_ Arcobaleno, only he was as wrapped up as the rest of his companions. Everyone tried to get as far away from the mummified people as they could, feeling a deep chill in their bones. The priest crossed himself three times and hid behind the cross that had been hanging around his neck, then promptly fainted when that didn't rid the House of God of these unnatural beings.

"Lucia Tucceli, the new Donna of the now destroyed traitor Tucceli famiglia," Hibari began, handing the document over to the Arcobaleno-sized Vindice. "Their dispute with their long-time allies, the Cavallone famiglia, started several years back, when the previous heir boldly dared to traffic drugs on Cavallone controlled territory despite the Cavallone having made it clear they have no interest to allow such practices where their influence can reach. The heir was killed in a shoot out when the Cavallone dismantled the drug rings and Don Tocceli lost his only son and Lucia Tocceli lost her elder brother. Weaker than the famiglia they blamed for their further misfortunes, they started plotting for Don Cavallone's death, waiting for the right moment to strike. Only Don Tocceli recently started succumbing to his age and became bedridden, unable to lead much of the family's business, so his daughter took over, starting by investing most of their family's fortune in Verde's and two other scientists' research on a new Flame-based type of weaponry. Verde might be an Arcobaleno, but the other two were civilians. They were only the first ones she's brought into this business."

Most of the room gasped, as what they were hearing so far was damning enough. Just the involvement of outsiders, of ordinary civilians was enough to garner a place in Vindicare prison. Lucia Tocceli and her remaining men were walking dead. They had broken Omerta. There will be no mercy for them.

"The next stage of their plan was to get a marriage proposal across to Don Cavallone. The plan was to kill him either during the wedding ceremony or just afterwards. They made the mistake of thinking he didn't have a very detailed will regarding what was to happen to his family in case of sudden death. They wanted the Cavallone's power and influence. This would be a broken oath." More gasps sounded throughout the church. Broken oaths of this kind were _not_ taken lightly in the mafia. "Finally, they had planned to, through Cavallone, weaken if not outright attack Vongola. With time and further preparation, yes. They would have to wait for the Box Weapons to be perfected and made in such quantity that their significantly smaller forces could actually stand up to the might of Vongola."

"Only the new Cloud Guardian stepped in and got in the way," Reborn said with a smirk as he jumped on one of the Disciplinary Committee members' shoulder to get a better view. The teen didn't flinch or even look at him. He was in front of his Chairman, after all. To do so would be utmost disrespect.

"To be more precise, Bucking Horse invited me to his wedding, apparently hoping for me to solve his problems for him," Kyoya corrected, cocking his head at the blond in question. "You should have just told me. I would have dealt with this problem a lot sooner for you if you couldn't do it on your own."

"We had no proof," Dino argued weakly. "We couldn't accuse them without proof without making it like we had something against them or that we were starting a feude."

"That's because you're all a bunch of herbivores," the Chairman says as if that explains it all. "It took me and my Disciplinary Committee two days to hack their systems, find all the data we needed as proof, check mafia 'laws' so I know whether or not I can bite them to death without any consequences to me, Fon or the Vongola that I am now unfortunately associated with, you or my Disciplinary Committee, make a plan and go through with it and I lead a group of middle and high school students. Oh, and make a deal with Vindice about a certain prisoner. That's still on, yes?"

"Given you've just gifted me with entertainment that will last me until next year while also helping make our job easier on us, sure. As long as you truly _do_ have a way to seal Rokudo Mukuro's possession powers," the littlest Vindice replied and a clink of chains was all the hint anyone got before a thoroughly confused Mist was dragged in front of the Vindice. And then released. "The drugs will last for another twenty four hours before he can use his Flames freely again."

"I am sure Verde has something to help with that. The probation period is three years?"

"I'll allow two, since you just stopped the biggest, most dangerous operation that has involved enough civilians to earn a lifetime in Vindicare three times over and stopped the distribution of weaponry that could lead to a mass mafia war that could kill even more civilians. Vindice thanks you for your assistance, Hibari Kyoya. We'll be taking the offenders now."

"Not so fast!" Lucia yelled, promptly pointing a gun at Dino's head. "If any of you move, he's dead!"

"Boss!"

"Dino-san!"

"It's over, Lucia," Dino says carefully, not making any sudden movements. "You lost. Just go quietly. If you resist, you'll probably only make it harder on yourself."

"I don't care for your advice, Cavallone!" The woman screamed, sounding a bit unhinged. "My father is _dead_! My famiglia is _gone_! And now I'm going to end up in Vindicare. What more do I have to lose? Why should I care?! And it's all because of _you_ and that _stupid_ brat of your's who you're in love with!" The blond actually flinched at that while most people were stuck between confusion and trepidation as to what might happen next. "So if I'm going down, I'm taking you with me!"

"Truly, you're such a pathetic herbivore." That was the only warning they got before a chain with a small mace suddenly sailed through the room, hitting Lucia's gun-holding hand square on and making her drop it in pain. Hibari was on her a second later, a pair of handcuffs coming into his hand from somewhere and he clasped it around the woman's wrist.

"You think this is enough to stop me!?" Screeched Lucia as she reached with her free hand as though to hit the boy over the head with her bouquet of flowers that were now sizzling with green energy.

"Hibari, watch out!" Reborn called out, not realizing that the Cloud Guardian was well aware of the hardening factor of Lightning Flames due to his little 'adventures' over the past few days.

But there was no worry, as the Vongola Cloud Ring flared brighter with Hibari's Cloud Flames, engulfing the cuffs for a moment before the restraint suddenly started propagating. Up Lucia's wrist, around her torso, then her waist, legs, up her neck and then down the length of her previously free arm, completely immobilizing her in but a second. Hibari tugged on the cuff he still held, the chain now considerably longer as he leaned away since his target was caught, and as the chains strained, the cuffs covering Lucia's body tightened, forcing her to release a cry of pain as well as the flowers, now useless as the Lightning Flames faded from them.

" _Handcuffs_!?" Just about every mafioso in the room gasped, for they knew their history, they knew _Vongola's_ history. Dino's jaw was on the floor as he stared at his student. Hell, all of the present CEDEF's personnel, too. Even Reborn was giving Hibari a considering and maybe even a bit wary look.

Hibari reached out and casually took off the subtle ring off of Lucia's little finger and put it casually into his makeshift satchel. "Stop pretending at being a carnivore, fake-herbivore. Someone like _you_ ," he said, leaning in to practically whisper-purr the words to her. "Cannot bite me to death." With that, he flicked his wrist and the woman, trapped as she was, toppled down with a loud banging noise.

The Vindice's Arcobaleno clapped slowly, impressed by the brief show as he was. Then he directed the other bandaged forms to round up the rest of Tocceli men so they can be taken to their new permanent residence.

Hibari frowned down at himself, at all the blood and slight gore covering his person. "I need a new suit."

"It's right here, Chairman," Kusakabe faithfully held out the white piece Hibari had initially chosen.

"Hibari! Are you okay!?" Yamamoto, Gokudera and Ryohei yelled as they ran over to the Cloud Guardian. Chrome went over to Mukuro while Tsuna just followed quietly but quickly after the others to the prefect. "You had us worried for a second there."

"Who do you think you are talking to, Yamamoto Takeshi?"

"Never mind that!" The Storm Guardian interrupted whatever Yamamoto was about to say - and he _was_ going to try and say something, because the baseball player had just opened his mouth. "It's clear you're okay, so let's get to the important bits. Like since when the hell do you speak Italian!?"

"Or use handcuffs," a troubled looking Iemitsu said as he came closer to the group, eyeing his son's Cloud Guardian very warily.

"Or are Flame active, for that matter," Reborn added, jumping to Dino's shoulder since the blond was the closest to the previously missing prefect. Mostly because, so far, he had been the only one to be able to stand up to Hibari's strength, as far as any of them knew, and the teen had just gotten a whole lot stronger, so even that's been put in question. Needless to say, no one was eager to get bitten to death.

"I started learning since that day I bit you to death in the Reception Room," Hibari replied casually. "You said family and Gokudera Hayato is shamelessly Italian and so was the Baby, as it would seem, so I did research and figured out you were with the mafia. I figured learning Italian wouldn't be a bad skill if it meant I could never be left out of any important information that might be passed along in a different language and knowing more languages is useful. By the time Rokudo Mukuro came along, I had a decent dictionary for conversational purposes and my grammar was coming along well enough. Listening to those herbivores and pineapplehead and their other lackeys helped me get down the accent better. By the time Bucking Horse started sparing with me a few months later, I could understand most of the conversations his men had around me in Italian and being exposed further to the language by native speaks mostly got rid of an accent I might have retained."

"You don't _have_ a foreign accent at all," Dino said, running a hand through his hair. "Damn. All that in a little over a year?"

Hibari gave him a deadpan look. "I can discern, figure out or learn a fighting style after seeing it once and correctly analyze a person in a matter of seconds. A communication barrier as simple as the knowledge of a foreign language will not restrain me."

" ... That doesn't even make any sense!" Declared Gokudera, throwing his hands up in frustrated surrender.

"The handcuffs," Iemitsu almost demanded, though he knew better than to demand _anything_ from what appeared to be a _true_ Cloud. That way lay madness, insurmountable pain and unspeakable property damage.

The black haired teen actually frowned. "It was a whim," he admitted, looking down to the handcuffs that had a single, small purple Flame lit at the junction where the chain was attached to the cuff. "I saw them and picked them up."

"If you'd like to keep them, we have our own chains and collars," offered the mummified Arcobaleno as he and the tallest of the Vindice joined their group. The infant-sized one tipped his hat at the future Vongola boss and his Guardians. "My name is Bermuda von Veckenschtein, the holder of the Clear Pacifier, a former Arcobaleno, the strongest of my generation and the founder and leader of Vindice. I must say, it's actually really a pleasure to meet you in person, Hibari Kyoya. I must thank you for the entertainment you've provided. It's rather rare that we get something fun to do or witness every once in a while. Life is too dull in Vindicare prison."

"And that's another thing!" Tsuna realized, staring wide-eyed at Hibari, who simply nodded to his new ... acquaintance without batting an eyelash. "How come you saved _Mukuro_?! I thought you hated him!"

"I do not care for such herbivorous emotions as 'hate'," Kyoya replied easily, waving him off, even as he nodded to Bermuda that he would like to keep his new weapon of choice, strange as it was. "I saved him from his sentence because I cannot bite him to death if he is rotting in some basement of a prison for the rest of his miserable life."

"That does sound like something you'd do," Tsuna and Dino said with a sweatdrop.

"A true Cloud, indeed," Reborn hummed. "And what about your status as Flame active, Hibari? You can't tell me that you figured it out on your own, right? Or did Verde teach you?"

"I know _one_ Fon, thank you very much," the scientist in question sneered from where Haru had picked him up and was cooing over another of 'Reborn-chan's cute friends' with Nana and Kyoko. "And he was _more_ than Flame active by the time he threatened me with the full might of Vongola, Cavallone and two pissed off Arcobaleno, one of Sun the other of Storm."

"I figured it out the other night, at the club," the Cloud replied easily enough when everyone turned to look at him. He was studying his new handcuffs, apparently still confused and curious himself as to why he would have picked them up at all, let alone kept them. "That fake-herbivore sent assassins to kill me. It wouldn't have been all that alarming in that nightclub, since the bouncers had to take out at least three dozen of my own prey and they didn't even blink. They managed to damage my tonfa, which, by the way, _you_ will be paying for the repairs of." Dino nodded quickly, accepting this easily enough because he didn't really need to be threatened to do anything Kyoya asks of him. "It took me a few minutes to figure out how to fight back and what each of the Flame types did. After that, I simply bit them to death."

"I absolutely love even that dangerous part of you Kyoya, but that's seriously beyond human, you know," the Cavallone boss said as he ran a hand through his hair.

"I guess something good came out of this whole mess," Reborn said nonchalantly. "Though we'll have to get Verde set up in a Vongola lab and start training Tsuna and the others so they might at least marginally catch up with Hibari-"

"Whoever said anything about Verde going to the _Vongola_?" The Disciplinary Committee Chairman asked with an arched eyebrow. "The Disciplinary Committee is more than capable of providing him with his own secure lab and the funds to continue his research. And since I'm the Vongola Cloud Guardian, Vongola will definitely be the first and only to get the fruits of his work, but I'm not about to leave a power like this in the hands of a bunch of criminals who will probably sell the technology for profit on the black market and probably create circumstances to start a massive mafia war, which will no doubt drag me and mine into it because the little animal has the worst luck and chaos follows _you_ like an obedient dog, Baby. I don't need that, especially not in Namimori."

"That's not up for you to decide," Iemitsu growled, growing annoyed with Hibari enough to try and command him.

Hibari arched an eyebrow. "I think you will find that yes, it is, since Verde has made a contract with _me_ personally and it has been _me_ and my Disciplinary Committee that has just shown up two of the strongest mafia families in Cosa Nostra. And we are teenagers."

" _Burn_!" Hissed Bermuda in sadistic pleasure and even Reborn was smirking. Hey, he had no allies when someone was getting dissed, he just liked watching people succumb to the chaos!

"I don't care where I go, as long as I can do my research," Verde says, and he truly sounds like he couldn't give a damn. "Though, seeing as there's rarely a Cloud with Hibari Kyoya's purity of Flames and Fiama Voltage, I'm inclined to go with him since he has showed an interest in my research and agreed to help me conduct more Box Weapons experiments."

"That sounds like you're making a deal with the devil," Yamamoto observed with a laugh, but he sharpened instinctively when Hibari threw something at him, catching it like he would a baseball ball. It turned out to be another Box Weapon, blue and looking like water or ice was dripping from each edge of the cube-shaped object. "Wha-"

"Try it out when you figure out how to ignite Flames," Hibari said, taking out more boxes and randomly throwing them to the others. "Also, worry not. Even if this herbivore manages to do something to me, which is highly unlikely, Fon is-"

People screamed as a small form all but barreled through them, knocking some over in the process and an almost impossibly fast red blur all but jumps at Hibari, who seems to be expecting it and turns around to catch the red-dressed Arcobaleno.

"-right here and will probably be sticking to me for the next few months for what I did."

"Damn straight," said the Arcobaleno of the Red Pacifier, glaring at his larger lookalike. "What were you _thinking_ , turning off the transmitter and then giving me bread crumbs all over the place that coincided with places reportedly destroyed by what looks like a force of nature? Is that blood? Is any of that your's? Who did this? And why is the Vindice here?" He paused long enough to nod to Reborn, Lal Mirch - who had already handed over her own captive and had now come down to join in on the Vongola/skylark drama - and half-glared at Verde, whom he was suspicious of being behind the whole mess in _some_ way. "Reborn, Lal, Verde."

"Fon," all three greeted, Pacifiers glowing faintly. "Still faster than the wind and the Pacifier's reaction, huh?"

"Why is my nephew in this state? Both geographically, for that matter, and physically," asked the Storm Arcobaleno with a hard, cold tone of voice, which was actually pretty rare for the usually calm and serene Chinese martial artist.

"Can we catch you up later?" Reborn asked, stealing a glance to where the guests were now becoming restless and displeased. They had come for a grand wedding, after all, not a Vindice arrest.

"We'll be taking that as our cue to go," Bermuda said casually and his subordinates turned around to walk into a wormhole that opened for them to step through. "Feel free to ring us up anytime you feel like it, Hibari Kyoya. You might just make life interesting." And with that, they were gone, leaving Tsuna, Dino, Reborn and company to explain to a very displeased looking Fon just _why_ his precious 'cute little' nephew had gotten involved with such dangerous entities.

"Hey!" Called one of the guests, a middle-status Don, looking a bit pissed. "What are you going to do about this?" He demanded in English so that more people could understand him.

"This ceremony is ruined!"

"You've wasted our time by inviting us to a fake wedding!"

"Way to throw a party, Cavallone!"

"Everyone, please calm down," Dino tried to take control of the situation, but people just kept shouting their displeasure until there was a faint clinking sound that came from a pair of handcuffs. It somehow made shivers run down everyone's spine and they all turned wary,scared eyes to one Hibari Kyoya.

"Do you want to be bitten to death?" He asked in clear English, though his words carried a very real threat. "There was an assassination plot. Unless you want to be brought in as possible accomplices, you will be silent and do as you're told." Some went to protest, most indignant that a teenager was trying to order them around, but Hibari's murderous intent translated to all languages very nicely. It shut them up better than if they were being held at gunpoint. "The wedding is off, but there _will_ be a party to appease your herbivorous needs to socialize and stuff yourselves with overly extravagant foods and alcoholic beverages. You will not disrupt the discipline or you will be bitten to death. Have I made myself clear?" When no one seemed to utter a single protest, he nodded.

"But it was supposed to be a wedding party!" Insisted an old Donna grumpily under her breath, but Hibari had sharp ears and turned to give her a downright evil smirk.

"Someone just needs to be dressed in white, right?"

Dino nearly fainted on the spot.


	15. Chapter 15

"And that's what happened," Hibari overheard the Baby giving his uncle the rundown of the whole situation and finally finishing the tale, but he was too amused by how wary everyone still was of potentially triggering Fon's more 'Hibari-like' temper to interfere in any way. Besides, he had delicious food in front of himself and he had managed to find himself a table in a corner to finally be able to avoid everyone else who might have the stupid idea to socialize with him.

He has had enough socializing to last him a decade, if not longer, from the last few days. He deserves some peace and quiet and some time to himself.

Not that Bucking Horse and Fon understood such concepts, but at least they knew him well enough to just come by to 'check on him' every once in a while instead of loitering around too much while he was eating. And at least his Disciplinary Committee was competent enough to keep the curious girls and young women away, since they seem to have taken a great interest in him ever since he reappeared, clean of enemy blood and in his white suit that seems to, regrettably, turn him into a magnet for pretty much everyone's attention, be it male or female, curious or admiring or shocked. Even Bucking Horse, who had already seen him in this getup, can't help but steal glances every now and then, which was ridiculous since the blond was the handsome-looking one in his own suit.

It was no wonder Michaelo the tailor had asked him on multiple occasions before to model for his store and designs. The Don was the definition of eye candy. Even someone like Hibari could easily admit to that, though his own interest will always be drawn first by strength rather than appearance.

Thankfully, Gokudera Hayato and Yamamoto Takeshi continued their streak of making hapless girls fall for them for their good looks, which were enhanced by the fashionable suits, and even Sasagawa Ryohei seems to be getting admirers. Another person who was getting a lot of interest was Rokudo Mukuro himself, who looked like a completely different person in a suit, even though it was borrowed from Bucking Horse's closet from his own teen years. Though Chrome Dokuro's firm presence by his side dissuaded most girls from being insistent on his attention, which was a shame. Let the pineapple suffer like the rest of them.

Sawada Tsunayoshi was also garnering himself some attention, though that was mostly because of his status as the future boss of a famiglia like Vongola, and the little cow child was getting a lot of negative attention for being such a loud and messy eater. That kid with a huge book in his hands was also entertaining the crowd by ... ranking random, senseless things? Mafioso were strange.

The other girls that had followed them to Italy for Bucking Horse's 'wedding' also seemed to have admirers, though Gokudera Hayato's older sister seemed more intent on 'babying' the Baby and acting like that's what lovers did, but that's none of Hibari's business, and the little Chinese girl that had given him chocolates ended up being his uncle's apprentice and was trying to gather the courage to approach him at the table that the Arcobaleno had taken for themselves, surrounded by a crowd of curious onlookers that were either the Baby's fans or just busybodies sticking their noses into other people's business.

Hibari wasn't blind to the fact that a part of that table's attention was the topic being discussed - mainly him and what he had done in a week's time since stepping foot onto Italian soil - but he simply didn't care. Namimori was his home and nothing in Italy could truly interest him enough to entice him to stay for prolonged periods of time. In fact, if he didn't know better, he'd think he'd started getting a bit homesick. People there at least never made him go out of his way to show them that they are just weak little herbivores, unlike here where he actually has to actively discipline fools left and right. Sure, he will admit to this being a somewhat fun excursion, but he definitely prefers Namimori's discipline to the craziness that goes on in this foreign land.

Besides, he'll probably have to return one day. He is, after all, Vongola Decimo's Cloud Guardian. Until that day comes, though, he's more than content in Namimori.

"Do you mind if I join you for a while, Kyoya?" The boy in question looked up at the question and arched an eyebrow at his favorite herbivore, the Bucking Horse himself. The blond smiled sunnily, if sheepishly, at him. "Come on. I haven't properly talked with you for two days and I've been really worried about you for a second there, Kyoya, since this isn't your usual stomping ground and there are a lot more dangerous people around here than in Namimori."

"None more dangerous than me, as it turns out. How boring," the prefect said but gestured for the Cavallone to join him.

Dino laughed, a genuine and a bit relieved sound, his eyes filled with that same fondness Hibari will probably never truly understand despite knowing, technically, what it was. "I guess I never should have doubted you. You _are_ Hibari Kyoya, after all. I guess it's just that my herbivorous heart couldn't help itself, ne?"

The younger of the two hummed. "That's the second time now, Bucking Horse. My, my, how daring of you." The Don just blinked at him, confused. Hibari smirked. "You seriously need to stop confessing to me, _Dino_. As endearing as it is now, it will get old real fast and then I'll really have to bite you to death."

"What do you mean?"

The skylark slanted an amused glance at him. " _I absolutely love even that dangerous part of you Kyoya, but that's seriously beyond human_ , I believe is what you said just a few hours ago." It was actually pretty entertaining to watch Dino go from his usual healthy light tan to pale as a sheet only to turn tomato red seconds later. "I will admit to confusion on that account, as I know perfectly well that I am not exactly a ... 'lovable' person, no matter what my uncle may think or say, but I will admit to a certain ... _tolerance_ towards you that I do not exactly harbor for others. Take it or leave it, Bucking Horse, because I refuse to be bound, even in something like this."

"Jesus Christ, Kyoya," Dino half groaned, half whispered into both of his palms as he all but doubled over the table, hiding his face, sounding both fond and despairing and somehow incredulously _happy_. "You're going to be the death of me if you keep acting that cute."

"In which way and what manner am I _cute_ , Cavallone?" Asked the Cloud, feeling the urge for a tick to develop at his temple, just _daring_ the blond to say something stupid. "And the only way I will be the death of you is by biting you to death."

"Somehow, despite everything, this still turned out to be the happiest day of my life. Or at least so far," Bucking Horse said as he finally looked up and graced Hibari with the softest expression he was capable of. Hibari actually wondered for a second if he was going to go blind and then his whole being questioned how _anyone_ could possibly have such a reaction to seeing his own usually stoic face. "I hope to have many happy days ahead of me, hopefully with you at my side, Kyoya. And don't worry; I definitely won't restrain you or hold you back in any way. I know you well enough to know what my fate would be if I tried. We can go at whatever pace you want. Besides!" The sunny grin he was on the receiving end of made Hibari itch for the handle of his tonfa. "This already feels like celebrating our own wedding! What with you being in white and actually tolerating a crowded room-"

"What did you just say?" An eerily calm and pleasant voice said from the far end of the table and Hibari sighed while Dino flinched as they both turned to face one overly calm Storm Arcobaleno.

"Fon," Kyoya greeted, because their earlier 'reunion' hadn't exactly been a chance to properly greet each other after years of not seeing each other at all. Fon had been in China when Mukuro had happened, but he had flown to Japan as soon as he realized something was up. By the time he got to Namimori, Hibari was already being treated by Vongola's medical team so he didn't interfere because at that point, no one had known their connection, if perhaps the Baby had suspected something. For the Varia debacle, he was not allowed to interfere and Hibari had not exactly been in Namimori for most of the conflict. He got a call from his uncle when the martial artist found out he had been injured and then _poisoned_ twenty four hours later, but he had not visited because Hibari had not wanted him to. The Baby and another blond baby had been present most of their stay in the hospital and Fon had been clear on his reluctance to interact with his fellow Arcobaleno unless he absolutely _must_.

More so because he had figured out that Reborn was using his spartan methods to tutor the Vongola Tenth Generation into worthy successors of the famiglia and he would _snap_ if that kept endangering his last remaining family member than because he had a grudge against the Arcobaleno.

Kyoya seriously didn't understand his uncle sometimes but he had given up on trying to figure Fon out years ago. The man was almost as flighty as the wind with the demeanor he will show to the public.

"Kyoya," the Storm Arcobaleno greeted back, sparing a fond glance for the teenager, before turning his ... _dangerously_ calm smile to Don Cavallone. It was like that common saying: the calm before the storm. And while Fon was usually a very disciplined, controlled storm, he was still vicious and destructive in nature. If you let the hurricane start spinning, then only the eye of the storm would be calm and safe and that spot was always Hibari's. Everyone else would get blown away. "I see you have found yourself a, hm, _partner_."

"So it would seem," was the noncommental answer.

"I see." Dino flinched back even more, hastily backing out his chair so he can flee as he realized just what kind of danger he's in. Hibari didn't even try to defend him. Fon would just be more insufferable if he did. "Dino Cavallone, I do believe we need to have a ... _chat_ ... about your interests in my precious underage cute little nephew."

"I'm whatever age I want to be," he interjected just because he would always insist on that. Like hell age would ever be a restraining factor for him.

"In fact, it's rather bold of you to make a move when you haven't even met the family yet, hm?" There was a dark aura starting to descend around the usually calm martial artist. Hibari sighed, recognizing a lost battle just because he refuses to deal with such herbivorous concepts.

"Just run, take the punishment like a man and walk it off, herbivore."

Dino shot him something like a betrayed look but was smart enough to follow through his instructions and he made a dash for it. Unfortunately for him, Fon was like his namesake and caught up to him before the man could make it out of the big dining hall but to Bucking Horse's credit, he didn't give in and at least made it out of sight before he got intimidated within an inch of soiling his pants by an infant. Even if that infant was actually an Arcobaleno.

"Don't you think that's a bit mean?" An awfully amused voice asked and Hibari knew who his new companion was even without looking.

"You don't get to say that to my face, Baby." Said Baby was sipping on an espresso like he didn't have a damn care in the world, though there was a mild sadistic pleasure gleaming in his big, black eyes as he gazed in the direction Hibari's uncle and ... whatever Cavallone was to him now had run off to. "I take it you wish to discuss something with me or is this a social call?"

"A bit of both, actually," the hitman admitted, giving Hibari one of his usual half-smiles or whatever that expression was. "You _are_ one of my favorites in this room."

"Whatever you say, Baby," the prefect dismissed, welcoming Hibird back when the bird flew over from wherever it had been and whatever it had been doing to amuse itself. Probably showing off for the guests, since it liked the attention and loved singing. "So what is it? You want me to train the herbivores or something?"

"While that _would_ be good, yes, I actually had a few questions for you." The Cloud didn't say anything, knowing that the Baby would take that as initiative to ask what he wished to know. As expected, he did. "I'll be honest with you, Hibari. At times, you really confuse me, but I rather like that about you. You're one of the few people I like talking to. You're probably one of the few people I'd like to have a drink with, once you're legal, of course."

"So you're saying you're trying to find a way to ask what you want without offending me somehow?" Kyoya asked with an arched eyebrow before snorting, amused. "I'm not that fragile, Baby."

Reborn nodded, taking that as his permission to not hesitate. "Then one of the first questions I'd like to ask you is if you'd known from the beginning who I was, or perhaps _what_ I was. I'd also like to ask how the _hell_ did you become the ideal of a mafia boss at such a young age and why you and Fon seem as close as parent and child. I get the feeling this is something I should know so I can make sure the others don't do or say anything stupid enough that you want to either kill them or leave the Vongola for good."

"My parents were weirded out by me. I was too different from other, _normal_ kids, so they didn't understand me," Hibari started after a pause in which he subtly checked if anyone was around to hear this little 'confession'. He respected the Baby enough to inform him _some_ on what his life had been like, but that didn't mean he wanted anyone else to overhear anything he might say. "My mother tried to love me, my father gave it up early on. Or rather, he could never really bring himself to _like_ me. Mother died young, father followed soon afterwards in the line of duty and I was officially an orphan with only my uncle to become my legal guardian. By then, I already had some control over what was going on in Namimori so it didn't take long to make it official and Fon didn't even have to come to sign anything, which was a blessing given that he'd already became an Arcobaleno by then. But even before he gave me freedom from the stifling home life that came with living with people who could not understand me or care for me the way they should just because I was _different_ from other kids - and not even the sad different that makes parents worry and have to take care of their children for the rest of their natural lives; I was perfectly healthy in all aspects. Many parents don't have that and yet mine were utter herbivores about it - Fon was there for me. He understood me, he saw my potential and strength and he directed it so that I could understand myself, so that I could _be_ myself. He broke any restraints my parents or society tried to put on me and let me be like a true Cloud, or so he would sometimes say. Even you keep saying that. I don't understand it, but I don't care, either. That aside, my life was not a tragedy, Baby, or at least I don't see it as such. There was no 'turning point' for me, where I realized I am stronger than I thought or some such nonsense. I was strong, I was given direction, I found a purpose and a way of life that I liked and I stuck to it. The Disciplinary Committee formed itself around me and I just let them stay, trained them in the things I'd need and taught them how to follow me properly since they were so adamant about it. Then you came along and Sawada Tsunayoshi started bringing chaos and trouble into my life and it somehow turned out to be fun so I didn't bite you all to death. The end."

"And the tracker Fon mentioned? Is it the one you had your subordinates make an interceptor for you the other day?"

"Fon is overprotective," he said by way of explanation, sighing in exasperation as he realized he'd talked more and longer to people in the past week or so than he has to anyone in his whole life, save maybe the said overprotective uncle. "Even though he became my legal guardian and even though I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, he worries so he made me promise to always wear a transmitter so he knows where I am and if I am in any trouble. We are each other's only remaining family. I was angry when he became an Arcobaleno, he would get angry whenever I got hurt. And he frets. So to avoid his fretting, I wear a transmitter, but it can get bothersome."

"Like the other day, when you didn't want anyone or anything interfering with the little plan you had set in motion," the hitman nodded in understanding. "But how come that Fon didn't come running the other times you'd gotten involved with Vongola-induced trouble like he had this time? I mean, that Mukuro incident and the fights against Varia should have definitely called his attention to what's going on with your life. Also, when we're discussing Mukuro, you gave a reason as to _why_ you freed him. I'm now wondering at _how_."

"Fon is overprotective," Hibari repeated, shrugging. "It tends to interfere with my fun and besides, this was _very_ personal. Lucia Tocceli was _my_ prey. I didn't want him stealing that from me. It felt like cheating or hiding behind your mother's skirts or something. As for why the other times he didn't come immediately, it was either because he was out of the country or because he couldn't get involved as was with the Ring Battles. He was getting ready to dismantle them bone from bone after the Gola Mosca incident, but interfering could have just as easily killed me as him not acting at all, so he called and I told him to stay out of it unless I am at death's door. The transmitter would inform him if I take it off or if I'm dying, so he knows what's going on most of the time."

"And this transmitter is where, exactly?" The Sun Arcobaleno asked, looking like he was silently pondering the pros and cons of placing transmitters on all of his 'students' so he can know when they screwed up or when they were trying to run away from his 'training'.

"My Disciplinary Committee armband," the teen revealed, not really caring for if anyone knew about that little secret. It wouldn't matter. He could more than take care of himself if he gets in a pinch and Fon will only be more frantic/murderous if someone takes or destroys the armband and its hidden transmitter. "As for Mukuro, all you need to know is that Vindice has a secret landline phone and Bermuda has a cell phone. I believe I managed to catch their attention by being able to find it and call them. I promised Bermuda a permanent way of dealing with Mukuro that won't be muddying up Vendicare prison's reputation seeing as he had managed to escape from there _twice_ now and can still act in the outside world through others. They don't exactly have a way of dealing with him. Mukuro will probably always hate the mafia, and I don't care why that is or how he plans to go about dealing with his own personal herbivorous issues. However, he is supposedly one of the Mist twin Guardians, which makes him mine, too, so I have to make sure that what is mine is being taken proper care of and also behaving. Besides, I promised Bermuda that we'd deal with the Possession Bullet's possession effects that allow him to take over a person's entire being. No one said pineapplehead would ever be _restrained_."

The hitman could only chuckle, shaking his head in an impressed manner as he brought his hands up to applaud both the Cloud for his cleverness and himself for finding his student such a frightening Cloud. "I'm impressed. You're playing the most powerful, terrifying part of the mafia world as if they're mere instruments under your fingers, making everyone else dance to your tune. I've never heard of anyone duping the Vindice before."

"I didn't trick them," Hibari pointed out. "I told them the powers of the Possession Bullet would be dealt with, because that is truly the only offence they can hold against Mukuro that I found, since mass murder and all of his other 'crimes' are normal happenings in the mafia, world. We checked. Just because people _assume_ ," he said with an all too amused snort that may have conveyed a bit of disgust at people's naivety. "How I will go about the matter is their own fault if they are disappointed."

"You know what's a disappointment?" The fedora wearing small person said with a frustrated sigh. "That you weren't born as an heir to a big mafia famiglia. I think I'd gladly be a part of your family if you were. You make life interesting."

Kyoya quirked a smirk. "Likewise, Baby." Reborn returned the smirk and titled his fedora in acknowledgement. They stayed quiet for a long while, Hibari enjoying his finger foods and Reborn draining what was left of his coffee, both of them ignoring the rest of the room and how people seemed to be warring with themselves about whether they should crowd around the table to get closer to Reborn or keep their distance since there was a possibility Hibari might bite them to death. "You're not going to ask anything else?" Hibari asked lightly, sparing a moment to glare at a foolish herbivore who tried to be daring enough to cross the perimeter the other herbivores had created as they whispered to each other about their dilemma. He shrank back and even shuffled away, a few of his fellows following after him, losing their own courage. Herbivores, honestly.

"I guess I don't have anything all that pressing to discuss right now. Besides, I'm rather enjoying having a pleasant social call every once in a while." That was quite a compliment coming from the Arcobaleno and Hibari recognized it for what it was.

"Well, it always _is_ a pleasure to speak with you, Baby." Reborn nodded at that and then waved a server over.

"You always say that you're whatever age you want to be. Would you be willing to use that to have a drink with me? I don't think I've ever had a decent drinking partner before."

Hibari thought about it, figured Fon will be busy with Bucking Horse for another hour or so before he finally feels that the blond has learned his lesson and shrugged. His uncle was overprotective and will nag, but he won't protest as long as it's one or two drinks and he rather doubts the Baby would try to get him plastered. The Arcobaleno was not so suicidal with Fon just a few dozen meters away and already annoyed and the Baby seemed to like him enough, anyway.

Reborn smirked as he ordered their drinks. "Hibari, this is the start of a beautiful friendship."

The mafioso nearby who heard that trembled in fear.

Tsuna nearly fainted when he overheard.

Hibari just smirked.

"Sounds fun."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the world trembled in fear ... For utter doom and chaos was upon them.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A brief foray into how Hibari Kyoya ended up saving the world

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By being his badass self

"Are you Hibari Kyoya?"

Hibari looked up from the paperwork he was doing in the Reception Room at Nami-chuu, regarding the finances of his Disciplinary Committee, giving it a final once-over before it would be sent to Yokomine's mother to check how their funds can be replenished without the Disciplinary Committee needing to go out of its way to collect the money the local yakuza has managed to amass in the past two months or so. It took up too much of his time and wasn't all that interesting or entertaining to make up for it, either. Just a waste of time.

Besides, he had to check up on how Verde was doing and what he was up to these last couple of days. He's apparently found some dangerous substance that generates a type of radiation that is rather harmful to the Arcobaleno and Kyoya wanted to know why, how and how it can be countered and whether the source can be permanently destroyed. If Verde had managed to find it, it's only a matter of time before someone else stumbles upon it, too. He'd rather deal with it now before someone who has something against the Arcobaleno gets their hands on it.

So he didn't appreciate being interrupted, especially since he had promised the Baby to check on the other Guardians' progress in Fiamma control. "What do you want?" Was his only answer, because the reply to the man's inane question should be obvious. No one else would dare sit in this chair, after all.

The man before him looked rather unassuming at first glance, with short white hair partially in a bun, dressed in a yukata, holding a bowl of ramen and smiling behind bespectacled glasses in a way that reminded him almost too much of his uncle for Hibari to ever be relaxed around him, because he knew what a smile like that actually meant. Fon may _seem_ like he was calm and serene, but he had a 'dark side' to him that he only sometimes showed and it was terrifying and thrilling - to Kyoya at least - to see. This man,whoever he was, may seem unassuming and not all that dangerous, but that in all actuality meant he was all the more dangerous for it.

He smiled at gaining Kyoya's full attention, like a kindly grandfather or something. It only made him more wary. "Why, I only wish to ensure that my Pacifiers continue glowing, illuminating the world and keeping it safe." The mere mention of Pacifiers - the subtle indication of _Arcobaleno_ \- made Hibari's back snap straight, Ring already flaring with Cloud Flames and hands already reaching for his tonfa because he liked the Baby, Verde was okay and Colonello, while slightly more annoying, was important to Lal Mirch, who had taken to training him in his dual Flames so he can better utilize both of their attributes. He _liked_ the Arcobaleno and one of them just so happened to be his last remaining family member.

He wasn't going to let a threat to them go unpunished.

"Who are you?" The Chairman demanded, making to stand from his chair, only for illusionary wines of some sort to wrap around his torso and keep him seated. A glance at the man's hands revealed that he had a strange ring radiating Mist Flames on the hand holding the chopsticks, while said chopsticks seemed to be forming signs or characters in the air, a trail of Mist Flames in their wake like ink that grows invisible as it dries. "How did you get in here? How do you know me?"

"I walked in. No one seemed to notice me. How strange, right?" The teen grit his teeth, knowing the man must have been using illusions to hide himself. Hibari could only see through his illusions, even if he couldn't counter them, because Lal Mirch had taken the time to teach him. He obviously needed more training and lessons. "As for how I know you, Bermuda told me about you. You see, I expressed to him a concern that something dangerous was rearing its head and that I feared my Pacifiers and my Arcobaleno might be in danger. Contacting the Sky Arcobaleno proved that to be true, as she has had the same snippets of visions as I did. When I spoke to my old ... acquaintance, he recommended that I contact you, saying that this middle school boy might be my best bet to keep my current Arcobaleno safe. After hearing about his interactions with you, I must admit that I was impressed and curious to meet you. If I let you go, will you promise not to attack me? _I_ swear that I mean Fon, Reborn, Skull, Colonello, Verde, the Sky Arcobaleno, Viper - or Mammon as they are calling themselves these days - or Lal Mirch and Bermuda Von Veckenschtein any harm. Their deaths could very well mean the balance of the universe."

Hibari didn't make any promises, but he relaxed his muscles and extinguished his Flame on his Ring, but he didn't let go of his tonfa. The man recognized that this was as far as he could push a Cloud for compliance and accepted it, vanquishing the illusions. "I am willing to discuss this with you ... " He trailed off pointedly and his left eyebrow twitched when the silver haired man smiled with his eyes closed, completely serene and confident in his ability to defend himself against the Cloud should Hibari attack. Yet another carnivore in sheep clothing. How interesting.

"My name is Kawahira. I am the one who picks the Arcobaleno. And now, I need help to keep them safe."

00000

"For real, kora?!" Asked an incredulous Colonello as he stared at the prefect with wide, stupefied blue eyes.

"We can turn back?" Lal Mirch asked, hesitating to get her hopes up only to have them crash and burn.

"You mean to tell me Reborn isn't actually a baby?!" Sawada Tsunayoshi all but shrieked, completely confused and stunned by this revelation that seems to have turned his world upside down in just a few sentences.

"This lifts the infant curse, right?" Fon asked from where he was sitting right in front of Kyoya in the prefect's own living room in a rather elaborate, marvelous, beautiful traditional Japanese home that seemed too big for a single occupant. "But not the whole Arcobaleno curse. We will still be Arcobaleno, only wear our proper ages again, yes?"

Hibari nodded. "Kawahira says that you will be as powerful as you are now, but with no drawbacks. He says that it's necessary if we wish to prevail over this new enemy. The route with the least number of risks and sacrifices."

"How sure are you that we can trust this Kawahira, Hibari?" Reborn asked, ignoring how all of the teens he had been training for almost two years now were gawking at him, trying to imagine what he would look like as an adult.

"He was definitely telling the truth," the Cloud assured, even as he frowned. "He said you can ask the Sky Arcobaleno for confirmation. Apparently, she will be arriving in Japan in a couple of days to assemble and warn the Arcobaleno of the visions she's been getting recently with her super intuition."

"But the story he told you sounds like fiction," Gokudera argued, frowning.

Verde snorted. "The Pacifiers and the Vongola Rings are beyond human understanding or scientific explanations." Which was quite a big statement coming from _Verde_ , the Da Vinci Reincarnation, as he's lauded to be because of his genius mind. "We don't know what the third part of the Trinisette might be, but there is no doubt they will play an important part in this trouble that seems to be on the horizon."

"But, really, _aliens_?"

"Not everything is as it seems, Gokudera," Reborn reprimanded, frowning, trying to come to terms with all the information they'd just gotten. Once again, all coming from Hibari. It seems to be becoming a habit. "You two have any specific plans yet, Hibari?"

The Disciplinary Committee Chairman nodded. "Verde has already discovered a substance that seems to be creating a type of radiation most certainly deadly to the Arcobaleno if it is concentrated strongly enough and you are exposed to it long enough. Revoking the infant curse should lessen the effect, but the radiation would still weaken you. It is up to Verde to figure out a way to nullify the effects of the radiation ten times stronger than the one he is currently experimenting on." The green haired scientist seemed rather pleased with having a challenge presented to him. "The infant curse will be lifted a month from now. In that month, Kawahira wants us all to master rings and Box Weapons and preferably spread the technology to our most trusted allies. The Arcobaleno will be unconscious for a week and then probably have little to no control over their strength for another two, not to mention that they will need time to get used to their old bodies. We need to protect them in the meantime."

"Train to get stronger, keep an ear to the ground, don't let our guard drop," Lal Mirch summarized. "Sounds reasonable enough. Anything else?"

Hibari suddenly had a very dark, unhappy look on his face. "Kawahira suggested I should graduate Nami-chuu with you lot this year."

"Eeeh!?" Came the confused cry from the other Guardians, none of them able to ever imagine Hibari leaving his beloved school behind. In fact, they had mostly imagined that he'd just wait until he can take over as the principle and continue life as it was now! And they were even more surprised to see that he was considering it!

"He says that we'll need a competent, independent organization with a strong, well developed information network if we want to fight this threat," Kyoya said, still sounding unhappy. "He says that my Disciplinary Committee would make the perfect foundation for such an organization, between the discipline and the level of competency a mere group of teenagers has shown in the whole Tocceli conspiracy. He said we will need someone to keep pace with the enemy. He said Vongola's and Cavallone's resources might not be enough and an outsider will be needed, a third party."

"CEDEF usually takes such a role," Lal pointed out, sounding displeased that the organization she was a part of was being so easily brushed off.

"CEDEF wasn't the one that solved the Tocceli case," reminded Mukuro with a frown, the first thing either he, Chrome or their Kokuyo 'gang' said since they came to the meeting at Hibari's summons. "CEDEF isn't the one who seems to be able to penetrate the haze of the underworld's darkness to find that which is needed. CEDEF isn't the one who has an ally in Vindice."

"Besides, Hibari is definitely an outsider, kora," the blond Arcobaleno said with a nod. "He is only now being introduced to the mafia, kora. His only connection is that he's related to Fon, kora. His skill, the power he holds, it all comes from his own work with no involvement in the mafia whatsoever until Reborn and Bakamitsu suggested and chose him as the Cloud Guardian for Vongola Decimo, kora."

"And no one will suspect a bunch of teenagers to hold such a powerful position in the mafia, especially teenagers that are not home-bread, so to speak," Reborn agreed. "Namimori is a neutral zone. Hibari can have a base hidden here somewhere and no one would ever be allowed to attack it because then the Vindice would come after them. It's a good plan and Hibari and his DC seem to be good at operating from the shadows already."

"I agree," the teen in question replies, his face smoothing out so there was no emotion showing whatsoever.

"Namimori Middle School will still always be your's, Hibari-san," Tsuna said gently, his intuition cuing him in on what might be bothering the prefect.

Silver-blue eyes flashed to the Sky and nodded. "I know, little animal."

It was the closest to 'thank you' that he would get.

00000

"Kyoya~!" Said middle school graduate looked up at the sound of his name, only to be met with an almost suffocating hug from a tall blond he had not seen in months. "Congratulations on graduating!"

"Hn."

Dino drew back a little and pecked the teenager's forehead before drawing him into a hug again, this one a lot gentler and seeming to hold a sort of comforting tenderness that Hibari would rather not think about. "I'll miss this place," the Cavallone boss admitted into his hair and Kyoya leaned into him. He knew Dino was speaking the words he himself will never utter but were his nonetheless. "Though I guess Nami-chuu will always be your's, right? We can still go to the rooftop and train whenever we want!"

The Cloud snorted at that, elbowing his former 'tutor' in the gut so he'd be let go. "You just think that I'll finally let you kiss me on school grounds now that I am no longer a student."

Dino was about to pout when an airy, very pleasant, far too cheery "Oh?" reached their ears and Hibari sighed, knowing where this was going already. Still, he turned together with Dino to face the pissed off seeming Storm Arcobaleno, now back to his original adult body and all the more intimidating for it.

Bucking Horse gulped and made a run for it immediately, still remembering how harassed he had ended his own 'wedding night' after the martial artist was through with him for daring to suggest he and Kyoya were even jokingly married. Hibari snorted again once his lover was gone, shaking his head. "Will you ever _not_ scare him away?"

"Will he ever _not_ realize that I approve of him as long as he doesn't hurt you and actually makes you happy?" Fon shot back, looking amused. "But never mind him. Are you sure you're okay with this? I know you loved this school." The Storm even wrapped an arm around his nephew's shoulders and Hibari actually let him.

The skylark sighed, looking up at the sky. "I always knew I'd have to leave the nest some day. I guess I just thought I'd stick around for a few more years."

"You'll always be welcome back." No one in Namimori would exactly turn him away, even if he didn't utterly terrify them. Namimori had become a lot more peaceful since Hibari had taken over the town as his own, even if he'd never made it official. The whole of Namimori knew they could sleep peacefully at night because Hibari Kyoya had cleansed their streets. "You just now have more nests that you're welcome in."

"Will you be alright?" Hibari asked instead of commenting on Fon's reassurances. "That Mist doesn't seem to like you all that much."

Fon sighed, an alternate option for the snort he will never make because he is too polite and kind. "Viper and I will eventually learn to tolerate each other. Or, well, Viper will learn to tolerate _me_. Will _you_ be alright in a crowd, especially one that has Rokudo Mukuro?"

Kyoya thought for a moment before nodding, a small smirk appearing on his lips. "I think I just might."

They fell into silence as they waited for their fellow Guardians and Arcobaleno - and the Varia and Dino's men with Romario - to find them so they may go to Takesushi to celebrate together.

00000

Reborn caught Fon around the waist when the martial artist suddenly stumbled through a flurry of deadly moves as they fought back a bunch of men in strange white uniforms, cursing as he, too, felt a bit lightheaded.

"Is it starting?" The red dressed man asked, doing a quick breathing exercise to bring himself back into control.

The hitman nodded grimly, reaching into his coat to take out two small chips, handing one to his partner for the mission as he continued shooting down the trying-to-advance enemies. Only they were unlucky enough that Reborn and Fon had been sent together and they were practically making a game out of it, trying to see who will take out more of their assailants. They had reached the early three digit numbers when they had felt something making them lightheaded all of a sudden.

It was a good thing they were prepared. The chips were placed on both of their Pacifiers and a small globe-like protection barrier surrounded the yellow and red Pacifiers, eliminating the last of the Anti-Trinisette-Policy's effects on them that the lack of the infant curse could not fully protect them against. Verde was making some pills as temporary solutions that last for a couple of hours, but a more permanent and wide-spread solution has yet to be found.

"Unfortunately," Reborn confirmed, shooting down another thirty or so men with a Chaos Shot. "We need to warn Vongola."

Fon nodded as he formed several red Storm Flames dragons that evened out the odds between his score and Reborn's.

Soon enough, there were no more enemies left to fight and they hurried to the nearest safe house.

It was starting.

00000

"Giglio Nero and the Gesso family have formed Millefiore, as you know, Sawada Tsunayoshi-kun," an albino with violet eyes and a tattoo under the left one said as he smiled genially at Vongola Decimo, who looked utterly unimpressed. "However, Uni-chan from Giglio Nero is a sickly girl and she didn't feel well before today's meeting, so I had no choice but to come alone. But I assure you, whatever ceasefire we sign today, she will approve of it. She trusts me to lead our alliance if she is incapable of attending such meetings."

Tsuna eyed the group in front of him, from the Cloud with the sea foam colored long hair, to the blue haired Rain girl in a wheelchair with a strange lump covered by a blanket where her legs should be, to the rude redhead Storm that got even more easily railed up than Gokudera to inhumane-looking Mist in the mask, finally landing on the scared-looking shorter man with long green hair and a sickly pallor and crazed eyes that was the Millefiore Sun Guardian, not bothering to hide how doubtful he found Byakuran's words to be.

That didn't deter him, though. "I know you want to stop the war going on between our organizations, Vongola Decimo," Byakuran urged on, still smiling. "But you have to understand that, as the party with the advantage, I don't want to come out of this without a prize in my hands. Now, I advise you _not_ to destroy the Vongola Rings, as that will be only a temporary solution, one I can get around in time and if you do, I'll just continue hacking away at your family until nothing and no one is left. You don't want that, do you, Tsunayoshi-kun?"

Gokudera bristled, but Tsuna raised a hand to stop him with the gesture alone and Yamamoto put a hand on his shoulder to calm him down further. Chrome frowned and stepped up in front of Ryohei so he doesn't complicate things, Mukuro watching through her while keeping an eye personally on the other Millefiore men that had come with Byakuran, mostly White Spell, in case they try something funny.

"You'll forgive me if I am stalling further progress, Byakuran," Tsuna, twenty years old and not the same Dame-Tsuna he had been when he had met Reborn but a respectable boss now, said calmly. "But I refuse to continue these discussions further until my Cloud Guardian slash External Advisor and the Leader of Varia arrive. That is how Vongola works, especially for such big decisions."

"Ha-ho, are you trying to provoke us?" Kikoyo asked, Cloud Flames covered flowers already appearing threateningly in his hands, as if reading to attack.

"It is _you_ who has provoked _us_ , kora!" Colonello snapped, gritting his teeth as he glared at the Millefiore family before them. "Give us back the Arcobaleno Sky, kora!"

"Zip it, lackey!" Lal Mirch hissed at him, elbowing him in the gut. They were there to make sure the situation didn't escalate before all parties concerned arrived. _Not_ actually help it escalate instead! It's why Reborn hadn't been allowed to attend - Uni of the Giglio Nero was Luche's granddaughter and Reborn had been good friends with Luche and considered Uni his niece or sorts - and Fon had to stay with him to make sure he didn't barge in and demand her back in a far more offensive manner than Colonello just had. Probably with a lot more guns.

"Can you herbivores not act like such children for _five minutes_ without supervision?" The bored drawl of Hibari Kyoya, Leader and founder of the Foundation, the Vongola Cloud Guardian and newest External Advisor, said as he opened the door so he and his two seconds in command - Kusakabe Tetsuya for the Foundation and Basil for CEDEF - as well as the Varia Leader and second could come in. Basil and Kusakabe were all propriety and discipline while Xanxus and Squalo looked ready to start cursing them all to infinity and beyond. Hibari just looked his usual disgusted-bored when he had to deal with 'misbehaving herbivores'.

"Boo, aren't there too many people on the Vongola's side for a peace meeting?" Bluebell asked with a pout, glaring at the new arrivals. "Are you trying to ambush us?"

"If we wanted you ambushed, we'd have just left you to meet with the feral trash, the old man's lapdog and the freaky Chinese trash," Xanxus said in disgust as he pushed past Basil to plop down carelessly into an armchair as though he were a king on his throne. "Or maybe just me. Depends on how well my meat is cooked."

Tsuna couldn't help but sweatdrop, despite how serious and dangerous the situation was. Squalo just rolled his eyes and came to stand behind his 'shitty boss'. Basil came to stand with Tsuna's Guardians, but Hibari didn't move from the door, so neither did Kusakabe.

Byakuran noticed and smiled at the Cloud. "Maa, maa, is something wrong, Hibari-chan? Why don't you join us so we can begin?"

Silver-blue eyes just studied him and his group for a moment before nodding to Kusakabe.

"I'll be getting Reborn-san and Fon-san, then," the former Vice-President of the Disciplinary Committee said with a shallow bow and hurried off. The Vongola side of the room tensed, recognizing the evaluation for what it was and preparing themselves for bloodshed. Before anyone could make a comment, though, in walked Verde, carrying something for Hibari. The scientist then walked past the former prefect to stand with his fellow Arcobaleno, glaring at the one who was emitting Anti-Trinisette-Policy radiation across the world, greatly inconveniencing the Arcobaleno.

Hibari nodded to Verde before gesturing behind himself at someone hidden out of sight by the wall next to the door.

Byakuran jumped out of his seat, enraged, when the young girl, Uni, the carrier of the Orange Pacifier stepped in, looking faint and leaning on Hibari when she was close enough. Hibari put the chip on her Pacifier and as soon as it was covered to block out the radiation, she perked up, looking better immediately.

"What is the meaning of this!?" Demanded Byakuran, making a move as if to snatch Uni back, only to be met with a tonfa resting almost crushingly at his windpipe. The blade at the top slid out, as did the sharp shark-scale like little blades that covered the surface of Hibari's favored custom weapon.

"Kyoya!" Fon called as he and Reborn raced down the halls, Kusakabe running after them.

"Hime!" Electric Gamma, the right hand man of the Giglio Nero family called from the other end of the hall, he and two Storms running towards their long lost boss.

"Shall we talk, Gesso Byakuran?" Hibari hissed, a smirk emerging on his lips. "Or should Bermuda just take you now?" As if on cue, a portal of sorts opened behind the Millefiore group, revealing Vindice's Arcobaleno and his subordinates.

"No, this can't be!" Byakuran, now sounding lost and half hysteric, mumbled loudly to himself. "None of my alternate selves has ever warned me against _this_! How is this happening!?"

"Blame Hibari Kyoya," said Kawahira as he stepped up behind the said man, murder in his eyes. He, obviously, knew a thing or two about the 'alternate selves' Byakuran was talking about.

"Actually, blame Lucia Tocceli," Bermuda corrected, watching as the Sky Arcobaleno was being fussed over as she was taken away by Reborn and her subordinates, Fon remaining to watch Hibari's back should the young man need it. The other Vongola family members and the other present Arcobaleno had also stood up and were looking ready to fight. "She started it."

"No! This can't be!" Byakuran screamed, using his Flames to activate his Mare Ring and so the fight began.

00000

"Maa, maa, we sure have a cloudy sky today, huh," Yamamoto, twenty five years old, a scar on his face, one of the most accomplished swordsman in the world, commented as he looked up from the finger foods he was piling on his plate upwards.

"As long as there's no rain, I don't care," Gokudera says relatively calmly, enjoying sipping his champagne. "Do you think Bianchi will try to talk Reborn-san into a second attempt at a wedding?"

"As long as she's not the one responsible for the catering, I don't see what would be so bad," Lambo, finally grown up enough to not be a brat, fifteen and a lot more mature, replied as he enjoyed his cake. "Cavallone should host weddings more often. This is delicious."

"Lambo!" Admonished I-Pin, dressed in a lovely pink Chinese dress that could pass off as both formal and casual. "Don't say such things!"

"Hahi!?" Haru yelped, whacking the teenage boy over the head. "How insensitive! Dino-san's been waiting for this day for years and you go and say something like that!"

"I don't think either Dino-san or Hibari-san care," Tsuna said with a laugh as he and Kyoko walked over to them, hand in hand, blissful smiles on their faces flushed from dancing. "They seem to be enjoying themselves openly for once. Well, Hibari-san seems to be showing it openly, really."

"That's because Reborn-san can keep shifu distracted only for so long, so Hibari-nii has to look happy or else shifu might go after Dino-san again."

Ryohei seems to get extremely excited at I-Pin's words. "Do you think Fon-san will take Dino on another EXTREME chase? Do you think they'll let me join in this time to the EXTREME?"

"Eat your sandwich, monkey," Kurokawa Hana said as she reached up to pat her idiot husband on the head like he was an excitable puppy.

"Chrome-chan sure does look happy, too!" Kyoko gushed as she watched the said Mist being waltzed around the room by her counterpart and dearest Mukuro-sama, who seems to have finally accepted that he was a part of the mafia now, even if the Vongola was a very strange mafia famiglia.

"Lal Mirch and Colonello, too!" Haru agreed, cooing as she caught sight of the light blush on both of the Arcobaleno's faces. "Too bad Verde and Skull couldn't make it."

"Thank _god_ only Squalo could make it from the Varia," Tsuna breathed to Gokudera and his right hand man nodded. "Uh oh, Uni-chan's asking her 'uncle Reborn' for a dance! Someone distract Fon, quick!"

"You _do_ know Fon's doing that just to mess with you all, right?" Gamma, who had walked over to them so he can keep a better eye on his Princess, said with amusement. "Fon likes Haneuma, from what I've gathered the few times I've talked to him. He won't actually hurt him."

"Yeah, but Dino-san's been proposing to Hibari countless times over the years since they got together and Hibari finally gave in today. I don't think he'd like his own wedding day ruined by his own uncle, no matter the reason," Yamamoto reasoned, shrugging at the older Lightning.

"Aw!" The girls in their group all cooed and they all looked over in time to see Dino had dipped Hibari down a bit so they could have a romantic kiss, right there in the middle of the dance floor, where everyone could see them. Mukuro, of course, had to be Mukuro and whistle and hoot for them, which, of course, made others tease the couple as well as clap and coo. When they pulled up and apart, Hibari looked murderous but, for the first time in years, the killing intent rolling off of Fon was genuine.

Dino gave a single "Oh shit!" before he was off, running for his life yet again. Fon was hot on his heels, spewing curses at him in Chinese and blood red Storm Flames flaring dangerously.

Romario just sighed and took over his boss' place for the rest of the song so Hibari doesn't go on a killing spree as well.

All in all, despite the cloudy sky and the screams of pain and fright, it was a nice wedding.

And if Dino couldn't quite ride off into the sunset on Amber with Kyoya at his side on Brave later, it was his own damn fault for provoking the skylark's overprotective uncle.

Hibird followed them, singing the wedding march cheerfully.

**LA FINE**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me what you think? *puppy-dog eyes*


End file.
